Trump to host Mar-a-Lago fundraiser for Maryland governor candidate Dan Cox

Former President Trump will hold a fundraiser for Maryland gubernatorial candidate Dan Cox (R) at Mar-a-Lago next month, according to a photo of an invitation obtained by The Hill on Thursday. 

The event will be held on Oct. 17 at Trump’s Palm Beach, Fla., resort, according to the invite. Tickets for the event’s private cocktail reception are going for $1,776 per person. A photo with Trump and Cox will cost $25,000.

Trump endorsed Cox during Maryland’s GOP gubernatorial primary, which pitted the more moderate wing of the party against the wing aligned with the former president. Cox’s primary opponent was Kelly Schulz, who had been endorsed by outgoing Gov. Larry Hogan (R-Md.), a noted Trump critic seen as a possible 2024 candidate. Cox, who currently serves as a Maryland delegate, defeated her by 16 points. 

Cox has repeated Trump’s false claims the 2020 election was stolen and tried to impeach Hogan for his pandemic policies. 

He faces strong headwinds going into the general election against Democrat Wes Moore in November. A survey released earlier this week from Goucher College, The Baltimore Banner and WYPR showed Moore leading Cox 53 percent to 31 percent. The nonpartisan Cook Political Report has rated the race as “solid Democrat.” 

Moore’s campaign responded to news of the upcoming fundraiser in a statement on Thursday, calling Trump and Cox “a danger to our democracy.” 

“Election deniers stick together, and now Dan Cox is going all the way down to Florida with less than 50 days left in the election to kiss the ring,” said Carter Elliott, a spokesperson for Moore’s campaign.

The Hill has reached out to Cox and Trump’s respective teams for comment. 

Updated: 8:52 a.m.