Former Maryland Republican Gov. Larry Hogan made a surprise announcement launching his campaign for Senate on Friday, seeking to flip a seat in the heavily Democratic state.
“I am running for the United States Senate – not to serve one party – but to stand up to both parties, fight for Maryland, and fix our nation’s broken politics,” Hogan said in a post on X announcing his campaign. “It’s what I did as Maryland’s governor, and it’s exactly how I’ll serve Maryland in the Senate. Let’s get back to work.”
Hogan, who served as Maryland’s governor from 2015 to 2023, was reportedly lobbied by National Republican Senatorial Committee Chair Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT) to run for the Senate seat as the GOP seeks to secure a majority in 2024, according to The Hill. The moderate Republican left office with a 77% approval statewide, which included 81% approval among Democrats, according to a Gonzales poll.
In 2022, Hogan ruled out running for the seat that will be vacated by retiring Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin, saying he was “certainly humbled” by those encouraging him to run, but adding, “As I have repeatedly said, I don’t aspire to be a United States senator and that fact has not changed.” He was then floated as a potential third-party presidential candidate for No Labels, the political group seeking to challenge Republican and Democratic candidates in the general election.
Hogan, a critic of former President Donald Trump, stepped down from his position as co-chair of No Labels last month, sparking speculation that he was setting himself up to run for president as the group’s candidate, the Associated Press reported. Hogan’s resignation came as No Labels pushed for ballot access across the country for the 2024 general election.
In his nearly three-minute-long video announcement, Hogan said he is running for Maryland’s open Senate seat because he is “fed up with politics as usual.”
“The politicians in Washington seem to be more interested in arguing than in actually getting things done for the people they represent,” he said. “Enough is enough. We can do so much better, but not if we keep electing the same kind of typical partisan politicians.”
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I am running for the United States Senate – not to serve one party – but to stand up to both parties, fight for Maryland, and fix our nation's broken politics. It’s what I did as Maryland’s governor, and it’s exactly how I'll serve Maryland in the Senate. Let’s get back to work. pic.twitter.com/d0TuZchAtN
— Governor Larry Hogan (@GovLarryHogan) February 9, 2024
Hogan is seeking to become the first Republican elected to the U.S. Senate from Maryland since Sen. Charles Mathias left office in 1987. The 80-year-old Cardin has served in the Senate since 2007, and Maryland’s junior Senator Chris Van Hollen (D) was elected in 2016.