FREDERICK, Md. — Former President Donald Trump is disputing allegations by Maryland Republican Gubernatorial candidate Kelly Schulz that Democrats are using trickery to help a Trump-endorsed candidate Dan Cox, who the Democratic Party hopes to run against in November's general elections.
"They say the Democrats want to face Dan Cox in the general election when the opposite is true. It is just more Democrat disinformation," Trump said in a statement.
"They want weak RINO Schulz," Trump added.
Schulz fired back Friday afternoon.
"It's very disappointing that he doesn't see anything wrong with national Democrats meddling in Republican primaries attempting to trick the very voters he claims to stand for," Schulz said in a written statement.
"Despite former President Trump's seeming approval of this despicable tactic, it won't work. The Democratic Governors Association is openly supporting Dan Cox because he is unqualified and has zero chance to win," Schulz added.
Schulz and Republican Governor Larry Hogan lit the fuse on the exchange by making accusations that the Democratic Governor's Association is buying more than $1 million in ads in an effort to help Cox.
Schulz supporters claim it’s a false flag by Democrats intended to hurt her campaign because she’s the stronger candidate in a statewide race.
"They're willing to support a lying conspiracy theorist like Dan Cox who is a danger to our party and our state," Schulz said.
Hogan said Democrats "are now emboldening and embracing a Q-Anon conspiracy theorist – someone who bussed people to the Capitol on January 6 and called Vice President Pence a traitor as the capitol was under attack," Hogan said.
“it’s the worst kind of hypocrisy," Hogan said of the Democratic Governors Association.
Neither the Democratic Governor’s Association, its Chair, Governor Roy Cooper of North Carolina, nor Republican Dan Cox has responded to WUSA9's requests for comment.
WATCH NEXT: Here are new laws in DC, Maryland and Virginia