Dan Cox won Maryland's Republican gubernatorial primary Tuesday, securing the nomination to challenge Democrat Gov. Wes Moore in a rematch of their 2022 contest.

Newsmax and Decision Desk HQ called the race for Cox, a former state delegate who previously carried the Republican banner against Moore four years ago. Cox was endorsed by President Donald Trump.

With 77% of the vote counted, Cox was at 44.7%, followed by Ed Hale (36.1%) and seven other candidates.

Cox's victory gives Republicans a nominee closely aligned with Trump and sets up one of the nation's most closely watched gubernatorial rematches.

Moore also won the Democrat primary Tuesday as he seeks a second term. Newsmax and Decision Desk HQ called the race for Moore shortly after the polls closed.

With 61% of the vote counted, Moore had 87.8% to Eric Felber's 12.2%.

The governor defeated Cox decisively in 2022 and enters the general election as the incumbent in a state where Democrats hold a significant voter-registration advantage.

Trump's endorsement was a major factor in the Republican primary, helping Cox consolidate support among the party's conservative base in a crowded field.

The contest drew national attention as Republicans weighed electability arguments against loyalty to the president's political movement.

With the primary settled, Cox and Moore will begin a general-election campaign that is expected to focus on taxes, public safety, education, and the direction of state government.

The November race will determine whether Democrats retain control of the governor's office or Republicans can engineer an upset in one of the nation's most reliably Democrat states.