Questions are swirling about whether Maryland Gov. Wes Moore can continue to push his progressive policy agenda while a possible White House bid looms in the future.

Tyrone E. Keys, a political analyst at Soldiers of Finance, told FOX45 News during a Friday interview that he believes Gov. Moore is in a potentially paradoxical predicament.

“There needs to be somewhat of a rejection of what has been done in the past because that just lost big on Tuesday,” Keys said.FOX45: Could Wes Moore’s progressive agenda come back to haunt him? One analyst says yes.

Gov. Moore dedicated significant time throughout 2024 traveling across the country campaigning for the Harris-Walz ticket despite facing criticism for what some saw as a lack of focus on local governance.

During Gov. Moore’s national campaigning, community leaders, neighborhood associations, law enforcement agencies and thousands online demanded he remove his secretary of juvenile services. Criticism has also been directed at the governor for failing to secure federal funding for the reconstruction of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which collapsed in March after a commercial cargo ship collided with it.

The governor also faced criticism during his absence due to a lack of direction on energy policy, the future of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future education program, a decrease in the state’s credit rating outlook and a looming state budget crisis.

Gov. Moore used his instant national stardom as the finance chairman of the Democratic Governors Association to defend President Joe Biden against questions about whether the 81-year-old was fit for a second term in the Oval Office.

After serving only 18 months in elected office, Gov. Moore emphasized federal partnerships during a news conference in late June in Baltimore, where he promised his administration would advance the Red Line regional transportation project. The governor said he was confident the federal government would collaborate with his administration to secure the necessary $900 million in federal funding for project completion.

Gov. Moore doubled down on his commitment to national politics after Democrats swapped Biden with Vice President Kamala Harris. Maryland’s governor said during an MSNBC interview on Election Day that men who chose not to vote for Harris were not interested in protecting their female family members.

“We’re not just voting for ourselves. We’re voting for every member of our family. And that is why I am very clear that my vote will go towards Kamala Harris,” Gov. Moore said. “And my support and what I will do to make sure everyone does the same is because I believe in the protection of everyone in my family and not just some people in my family.”

A CNN exit poll released on Tuesday evening showed that 72% of voters are dissatisfied with the direction of the country. Keys told FOX45 News that ineffective rhetoric is what Americans rejected at the ballot box on Tuesday and a possible pitfall for Gov. Moore to secure the necessary federal assistance to advance much of his administration’s agenda.

“With over 300 electoral votes for Trump, the Senate, the House and the popular vote, I think that the mandate is clear that the people of America want to see everybody move back towards some modicum of fiscal conservatism,” Keys said. “Wes Moore, he’s an intelligent individual, I am sure he will take note and move toward the middle.”

The governor highlighted the substantial time he spent on the campaign trail during an introductory speech on Friday. After his brief remarks, his team requested that the media leave the cabinet meeting.

As all of you know, I personally worked hard to make Kamala Harris the next President of the United States,” Moore said. “For this to be Maryland’s decade, we need to focus on economic competitiveness and that work continues, no matter who sits in the White House.”

“We need to ensure that the public understands they have a government that is actively listening to them, regardless of which party they belong,” Gov. Moore added.

FOX45 News sent the governor’s office several questions after his remarks on Friday to better understand the direction of his administration since President-elect Donald Trump’s victory.

These questions included:

Is the governor preparing to fight President-elect Donald Trump’s policy agenda?

Will the governor cooperate with federal officials in any deportation initiatives?

Does the governor stand by Thrive Academy and gun violence prevention programming?

How is the governor planning to construct the Red Line when funding is unlikely to be awarded from a Republican-held Congress and White House?

Does the governor worry that his extensive campaigning against President-elect Donald Trump could hurt federal financial allocations for Maryland?

Will Gov. Moore be forced to raise taxes and/or fees to balance the budget ahead of likely federal cuts?

A spokesperson for Gov. Moore refused to answer questions, instead directing FOX45 News to the governor’s prepared remarks and a press release that echoed the same message released late Thursday. Keys said this is another strategy that Gov. Moore’s party had utilized that Americans uniformly rejected at the ballot box.

“There are few valid reasons for a governor to resist transparency,” Keys said. “Showing disdain to the media can be interpreted as a lack of respect towards the citizenry as media acts as their gateway to understanding what our public officials are doing.”

“Lack of transparency is totally unacceptable in this case,” Keys added.

Have a news tip? Contact Gary Collins at gmcollins@sbgtv.com.