Former Frederick County state delegate and gubernatorial candidate Dan Cox has filed to run for governor again, with Frederick County gun range co-owner Robert Krop as his running mate.
Cox’s filing was on the website for the Maryland State Board of Elections Friday evening, with Krop, a co-owner of The Machine Gun Nest, as his lieutenant governor candidate.
The site listed Cox as filing Friday.
In response to a phone message from The Frederick News-Post seeking comment, Cox responded with a text message saying: “Here is our vision. Thanks for reaching out. Stay tuned for my announcement via video on social media and our website to be released this weekend.”
The attachment was a summary of his platform, saying he will fight for:
• “The American Dream” — rewarding hard work; creating opportunities
• “Maryland Families” — advocating for all families; support and resources for all, including single mothers
• “Maryland Retirees” — not having to leave Maryland because of financial burdens
• “Reasonable Taxes and Fees” — prioritizing careful spending
• “Affordable Home Ownership” — affordable options for first-time home buyers; reasonable taxes for senior citizens
• “Fiscal Accountability” — lean and responsible spending, with full transparency
• “Reliable Energy” — clean, self-sustaining energy, without overwhelming the electric grid
A Republican state delegate from Frederick County from 2019 to 2023, Cox ran for governor in 2022, losing to current Gov. Wes Moore, a Democrat.
Cox defeated Kelly Schulz — a former state delegate from Frederick County and the state’s secretary of both Labor and Commerce under then-Gov. Larry Hogan — in the Republican primary.
Cox also ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 2024 and 2016.
Krop was federally indicted in 2023 on charges of conspiring with Frederick County Sheriff Chuck Jenkins to mislead the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives to illegally acquire seven machine guns for Krop’s shooting range business, The Machine Gun Nest.
Krop was acquitted of all charges in 2024, and the charges against Jenkins were dismissed.
Cox served as Krop’s lead attorney in the trial.
Krop could not be reached for comment Friday evening.
Moore has said he is seeking a second term.
Hogan served two terms as governor, then ran unsuccessfully for U.S. Senate in 2024. He announced last week that he is not running again for governor.
Other Republicans who have filed to run for governor this year are Carl A. Brunner Jr., John A. Myrick and Kurt Wedekind.
The only other Democrat in the race is Ralph Jaffe.
