Cathy
White
Factory worker and Working Class Party nominee for Maryland governor in the November 2026 general election
- sources
- 6
- positions
- 7
- endorsements
- 0
Background
Cathy White is the Working Class Party's candidate for Governor of Maryland in the November 3, 2026 general election. The Maryland State Board of Elections lists her as an active candidate, nominated by party designation, with Montgomery County as her listed jurisdiction. [2, 16]
White has spent her career as a blue-collar worker. As of her April 2026 address to the Working Class Party's state convention, she stated she had worked in a factory as a production worker for approximately 40 years. Earlier reporting noted she had also worked as a babysitter, house cleaner, pizza-shop employee, pet-hotel worker, nursing-home worker, and warehouse worker. [15, 16]
White previously ran for office as the Working Class Party's nominee for lieutenant governor of Maryland in 2022, though she did not win that race. She holds no prior elected office. [15, 11]
White and other third-party gubernatorial candidates were excluded from the only scheduled gubernatorial debate of the 2026 race, prompting public objections from those candidates. 9
At a glance
- Party
- Working Class Party
- Running for
- Governor, Maryland
- Election
- Nov 3, 2026
- Website
- sites.google.com(opens in a new tab)
Where they stand
Each position links to the page it was drawn from. Quotes are verbatim.
Timeline
- Oct 9filingCathy White and Cathy Permut listed on Maryland general-election governor ballot
WTOP's voter guide confirmed that White and her running mate Cathy Permut are on the general-election ballot for governor alongside Moore/Miller, Cox/Krop, and Ellis/Andres. Election Day is November 3, 2026.
Maryland voter guide: Governor, congressional seats and referendums on the ballot – WTOP News · Oct 12, 2026 (opens in a new tab) - Oct 6newsThe Banner profiles White as factory worker and Working Class Party nominee with minimal fundraising
The Banner described White as a factory worker and the Working Class Party's 2026 gubernatorial nominee, with Cathy Permut as her running mate. Campaign-finance records as of August showed she had not raised or spent more than $1,000. The report noted she was the Working Class Party's 2022 lieutenant-governor nominee. Her campaign focused on criticizing state spending and arguing government should better serve working people.
Meet Maryland's third-party candidates for governor - The Banner · Oct 6, 2026 (opens in a new tab) - Oct 5controversyCathy White decries exclusion from Maryland's only scheduled gubernatorial debate
White objected to Maryland Public Television's decision to exclude her and Green Party candidate Andy Ellis from the Oct. 6 debate. MPT required a 10% polling threshold; White polled at 3%. She criticized the two-party system, saying: 'The two-party system is a trap that we're stuck in, like this ping-pong game, just going back and forth, and we're all the losers for it.' She had communicated with Ellis about seeking inclusion but accepted that MPT would not allow her to participate.
Third-party candidates decry exclusion from only debate of the Md. governor’s race – WTOP News · Oct 5, 2026 (opens in a new tab) - Sep 22pollUMBC poll shows Cathy White at 3% in Maryland governor's race
A UMBC poll of 776 likely voters conducted around September 22–27 put White at 3%, with Wes Moore at 51%, Dan Cox at 24%, and 14% undecided. The margin of error was approximately 3 to 3.5 percentage points.
UMBC Poll: Gov. Wes Moore leads Dan Cox 51% to 24% in ... - WBAL · Oct 6, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
Sources 6
- [1] Maryland voter guide: Governor, congressional seats and referendums on the ballot – WTOP News(opens in a new tab) Oct 12, 2026
- [2] Meet Maryland's third-party candidates for governor - The Banner(opens in a new tab) Oct 6, 2026
- [3] UMBC Poll: Gov. Wes Moore leads Dan Cox 51% to 24% in ... - WBAL(opens in a new tab) Oct 6, 2026
- [4] Third-party candidates decry exclusion from only debate of the Md. governor’s race – WTOP News(opens in a new tab) Oct 5, 2026
- [5] Working Class Party is on the Ballot in Maryland for 2026(opens in a new tab) Sep 29, 2026
- [6] State Circle | Friday, August 14, 2026 | Season 2026 | Episode 32(opens in a new tab) Aug 14, 2026