Staff Reports
Larry Hogan must have wished he had an ‘unsubscribe’ button after Donald Trump’s surprise endorsement—cue the dramatic “What?!” from Hogan himself. He’s been the poster child for centrist Republicans, all while distancing himself from Trump and anything resembling the MAGA crowd. Yet here comes Trump, casually strolling in to throw his support behind Hogan, leaving the former Maryland governor scrambling to explain himself to the deep-blue state electorate.
Trump’s recent chitchat with Fox News revealed his reasoning: he wants Hogan in the Senate to help fix the country and take back the majority. Given that Trump met with Senate Republicans and patched things up with Mitch McConnell, the endorsement seems less like a heartfelt gesture and more like a political chess move. Hogan’s reaction? It’s akin to pretending you didn’t see a friend’s embarrassing Facebook post and hoping it just goes away.
Larry Hogan reveals his one-word response to Trump endorsement https://t.co/QOZSi4kXWt
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) June 24, 2024
Hogan is holding onto the notion that Maryland voters know better. He figures his two-term governor record will speak louder than Trump’s significant, shiny endorsement, which he insists he never asked for. He highlights his previous election performance, noting that he outran Trump by 46 points in Maryland. Hogan’s betting on the idea that Trump’s brand won’t sway the local electorate much, seeing how Maryland is far from MAGA territory.
Democrats, of course, are jumping at the chance to make Hogan wear the MAGA hat. His opponent, Angela Alsobrooks, is working overtime to convince voters that a vote for Hogan is for Trump, Mitch McConnell, and GOP control of the Senate. Also, Brooks even dragged Vice President Kamala Harris out on the campaign trail to draw a direct line from Trump to Hogan, painting a grim picture of what a Republican-controlled Senate would mean for Marylanders.
At the core of the Democrats’ scare tactics? Abortion rights. They’re badgering Hogan over his veto of a bill allowing non-physicians to perform abortions and questioning whether Maryland women can trust him. Hogan’s quick to tout his newfound support for codifying Roe v. Wade, stressing that women’s healthcare decisions should remain their own. But the Democrats aren’t buying it, saying his past actions speak louder than his recent promises.
In a nutshell, Larry Hogan’s caught in an awkward political sandwich between Trump’s phantom endorsement and an aggressive Democratic opposition. Hogan continues to downplay Trump’s support and highlight his record as a centrist, but only time will tell if Maryland voters will buy the narrative. Maryland’s Senate race is shaping up to be a showdown where both sides desperately try to define Hogan before the voters decide for themselves.
