Dan Cox is making another run for Maryland governor, this time with Robert Krop — a Frederick County gun‑range co‑owner and Cox’s former legal client — as his running mate.
Cox filed his candidacy Friday, according to the Maryland State Board of Elections. In a brief text to the Frederick News‑Post, he said a full announcement video will be released over the weekend and shared a summary of his platform. His stated priorities include expanding economic opportunity, supporting families and retirees, lowering taxes and fees, promoting affordable homeownership, increasing fiscal transparency, and pursuing “reliable” clean energy without straining the grid.
Cox previously served as a Republican state delegate from 2019 to 2023 and was the GOP nominee for governor in 2022, losing to Democrat Wes Moore. He also ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 2016 and 2024.
Krop, co‑owner of The Machine Gun Nest, was indicted in 2023 alongside Sheriff Chuck Jenkins in a federal case involving machine‑gun acquisitions. Krop was acquitted in 2024, and charges against Jenkins were later dropped. Cox served as Krop’s lead attorney during the trial.
