Former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan announced Friday that he is running for US Senate this year, providing Republicans with a strong candidate in their bid to flip a seat in a deep-blue 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. 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 said in a message posted to X.
Hogan, 67, argued that Washington is “completely broken” and that he’s “completely fed up with politics as usual.”
“Enough is enough. We can do so much better, but not if we keep electing the same kind of typical partisan politicians,” he said.
A popular former governor known for his moderate record, what Hogan is perhaps even better known for is his eagerness to criticize fellow Republican Donald Trump while in office and during his current presidential run. Hogan’s entry potentially upends not just the Maryland race, but the entire battle for control of the Senate, with Democrats holding a one-seat advantage and incumbents already on defense in several Republican-leaning states in addition to open races.
Republicans celebrated the news.
“I would pay a significant amount for a ticket to watch Chuck Schumer’s face right now,” Josh Holmes, the top political adviser to Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, posted on X.
Two years ago, McConnell and other top Republicans made repeated entreaties to Hogan to challenge Sen. Chris Van Hollen. They appealed to him that he could be a moderate with major power in a closely divided Senate, like a Republican version of West Virginia Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin.
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