WASHINGTON — Editor's Note: This is part of a series of candidate profiles leading up to Election Day. Check back daily for additional candidate profiles, including Cox's challenger, Wes Moore.
Dan Cox won the Republican nomination for Maryland governor in July despite not having the endorsement of outgoing Gov. Larry Hogan. He now faces Democratic nominee Wes Moore despite his substantial fundraising and party advantage.
Cox is a Maryland state delegate, representing parts of Frederick and Carroll counties. He’s also an attorney specializing in Constitutional Law.
"We are focused on lowering taxes, making sure our property tax assessment valuation is lowered," Cox said when asked what he thought should be the number one priority for the next governor of Maryland. "Our property tax values have begun to price out affordable housing for folks across Maryland because rents are based upon what the, you know, the landlord is taxed. So when taxes went up 34%, this year, that's going to hurt everyone."
Cox pledged immediate action if he gets in office, "Ordering the Department of Taxation and assessments to use a constant dollar approach, which means to get inflation out of the tax system."
When it comes to education, Cox says he wants to move state funding from the public schools, and allow parents to send their children to independent charter schools he’d allow to open up.
"When a parent says okay, here's $7,500 into an education account, we can decide where that child goes to school," Cox said.
The gubernatorial hopeful also expressed concern over taxes in Maryland.
"When you have a business tax rate that is pricing businesses out, they can go across the [Potomac] River to Virginia and have a 6.1% rate, or they can go to Delaware and have a 5.5% rate, that's going to create a disincentive for them to come here," he said.
Cox had plenty to say about the crime rate in Maryland, included Prince George's County curfew plan to reduce juvenile crime.
"I am opposed to addressing this simply by saying a curfew is how you address it," Cox said. "That's not how you address the problem of catching the criminals. We will arrest them."
The father of seven has been criticized by some for his past statements in support of former President Trump’s Jan. 6 rally held right before the Capitol riot began. When asked if he had any regrets over his actions that day, he responded:
"Well, I don't need to have regrets when I wasn't there. I mean, I was at the White House hearing the president, took my seven children, but as to concerns and being very upset and angry about what happened at the Capitol on Jan. 6, yes, absolutely. It was wrong."
Cox also took to Twitter that day and called former Vice President Mike Pence “a traitor."
"You know, that was in a concern, as I was leaving on a bus had no idea the gravity of the situation," Cox said addressing whether he still felt that way about Trump's vice president. "I absolutely think that Mike Pence is a wonderful man."
WATCH: Full 1-1 interview with Dan Cox
