Maryland Gov. Wes Moore Says Kamala Harris Is Qualified to Lead Due to Baltimore Bridge Collapse Response

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) gave credit to Vice President Kamala Harris for getting help to Baltimore after the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed during his speech at the Democratic National Convention.

Moore, who entered gubernatorial office last year, gave Harris the shout-out after reflecting on the tragic cargo ship crash that led to the destruction of the bridge and the deaths of six maintenance workers.

“A port that drives 13 percent of our state’s economy was now closed. Thousands of workers were hours away from waking up and realizing they no longer had a job,” Moore told the Wednesday evening audience. “Six Marylanders who had been on the bridge in the middle of the night fixing potholes lost their lives.”

He continued, “One of the first phone calls that I got that morning started with these three words: ‘Gov, it’s Kamala.'”

According to the progressive governor, Harris told him, “I know you spoke to the President, and I want you to know we are here with you every step of the way.”

“She said, ‘Help is coming,’” he remarked. “I saw Kamala Harris is the right one to lead in this moment firsthand.”

After the bridge collapsed, President Joe Biden pledged to fully fund its replacement.

“It’s my intention that the federal government will pay for the entire cost of reconstruction in that bridge. I expect the Congress to support my effort,” Biden said from the White House hours after the news broke. 

Harris reiterated that she and Biden “directed the federal government to use all the resources that are available to assist with the search and rescue, to reopen the port, and to rebuild the bridge as quickly as possible”:

While the Biden administration was quick to pledge money to the situation, Maryland Department of Transportation officials said it would take until fall 2028 and an estimated cost of $1.7- 1.9 billion, the Associated Press (AP) reported.