Former Maryland Gov. Hogan Running for US Senate

FEB 9 2024·Updated FEB 10 2024

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The Facts

Republican former governor of Maryland Larry Hogan on Friday announced via X, formerly Twitter, that he will run for one of the state's US Senate seats.
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In his announcement, Hogan said he is running "not to serve one party — but to stand up to both parties, fight for Maryland, and fix our nation's broken politics."
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A frequent critic of former Pres. Donald Trump during his term in office, Hogan was once seen as a potential challenger to Trump for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination. Now Hogan will run for the Senate seat that's opening because of the retirement of Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin.
The Associated Press
Hogan, who served two terms as Maryland's governor before leaving office in 2023, will face an uphill battle in a state featuring a 2-1 voter registration edge for Democrats over Republicans.
Baltimore Sun
On the other side of the aisle, Prince George's County Executive Angela Alsobrooks and US Rep. David Trone are locked in a primary for the Democratic nomination.
Baltimore Sun
Republicans would need to flip two seats in the 2024 elections to gain a majority if Pres. Joe Biden is reelected, while they would need to flip just one if a Republican wins the White House.
The New York Times

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The Spin

Republican narrative

Hogan was a popular governor and his brand of bipartisanship obviously appealed to Maryland voters through two election cycles. Republicans should be celebrating the fact that Hogan might help them return to the Senate majority, and at the very least, Republicans will be putting up a fight for this seat.

National Review

Democratic narrative

Hogan might be popular, and he might be a moderate, but at the end of the day, he still holds views on several issues, including abortion access, that put him on the opposite side from most Democratic voters. This race might be competitive, but Democrats are still in the driver's seat in Maryland.