Former President and presumed Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump said in an interview on June 13 that he “hopes” Maryland Senate hopeful Larry Hogan wins in an effort to flip the chamber from Democratic control to a Republican majority.
The former Maryland governor was personally recruited by leading Senate Republican Mitch McConnell to enter the race for similar reasons.
However some experts worry Trump is deeply unpopular in Maryland, and tying his toxic brand to Hogan is unlikely to help him build the bipartisan coalition he needs to win in the deep-blue state.
The former governor’s campaign and Maryland Republicans have attempted to downplay the significance of that support, noting that Hogan has been a critic of some of Trump’s worst behaviors as both a senatorial candidate and elected official.
“Governor Hogan has been clear he is not supporting President Trump, just as he didn’t in 2016 and 2020,” said Hogan campaign spokesman Michael Ricci in an official statement.
Nonetheless, the Maryland Republican Party said they “plan to support candidates from the top to bottom of the ballot.”
Hogan has trailed in both polls against Democratic nominee Angela Alsobrooks since the primary election concluded.
The Maryland Democratic Party and the campaign of Democratic Senate nominee Angela Alsobrooks were quick to tie Hogan to Trump’s quest for a Republican legislative majority.
“Donald Trump wants Larry Hogan because Trump knows Hogan would be the deciding vote to put Republicans in charge of the U.S. Senate,” read an email sent by the Maryland Democratic Party shortly after the announcement. “It could not be more clear what is at stake.”
The Alsobrooks campaign said “the stakes of this race could not get any higher.”
“Just last week, Senate Republicans shot down access to contraception. Hours ago, Senate Republicans voted against protecting IVF,” the Alsobrooks campaign wrote in a statement after the former Republican president declared his support. “And just now, Donald Trump endorsed Larry Hogan so he can have a Republican majority.”
Political observers, noting Trump’s unpopularity and Hogan’s past success in courting Democrats and independents, don’t believe this will assist Hogan’s campaign.
“This was a very cynical effort by Donald Trump to torpedo Larry Hogan’s chances of winning this election,” said political analyst and consultant Len Foxwell. “This does nothing to help Larry Hogan in Maryland. This crystallizes the argument that the Democrats are going to use against him, which is that a vote for Larry Hogan is a vote for Republican control of the Senate and a vote for the Trump agenda.”
Larry Hogan was a GREAT Governor for Maryland and would make a GREAT Senator for Maryland. He is a uniter and that is what Maryland needs.
The Country now: borders, inflation, economy, foreign policy, cost of EVERYTHING ! Not to mention Biden is dramatically diminished. He is the Pied Piper of the Democratic Party, as he walks them all over a cliff!
Trump’s endorsement is the death knell of Hogan. With our democracy on the line, we cannot take a chance on someone who is wishy-washy with Trump.
I am so grateful to Larry Hogan for keeping Maryland residents ALIVE as best as he could during the worst of the pandemic.
He works with anyone regardless of their political affiliation to get things done for We, The People.
Unfortunately, he will NOT have my vote this or any time that he is affiliated and branded amongst today’s MAGA/NAZI/Jim Crow/Republican party.
No way.
Let me know when he has the wisdom to switch parties to the Democrats, who have no ill will for We, The People Of Color, Of Rainbows, Of All walks of life. I will vote for him then.
First things first — VOTE DEMOCRAT DOWN THE ENTIRE BALLOT THIS NOVEMBER. DO NOT ALLOW THE DONALD, PUTIN AND THEIR MEGA RICH FRIENDS TO DESTROY AMERICA.
Trump’s support for Larry Hogan is nothing but detrimental to his campaign. I’m a registered democrat and voted for Hogan in the past but with Trump’s support he is not as appealing!
I don’t like Hogan he is a RINO. I support a different Republican in MD. Most Republicans in MD don’t support Hogan because he trashes Trump at every opportunity to do so. I am not a Republican, but feel that Republicans should support their Presidential Nominee. Trump was not my first choice in 2016 and wasn’t now, but I will vote for him because he is the Republican nominee. That said I was originally a died in the wool Democrat. I changed to independent but found in MD if you want to vote in the primaries you have to be either DNC or RNC. I will never vote Democrat again they have gone way to far left for me. America under the current Administrtion has made our great Country feel like a third world Country to me. Never in all my years would I think my government would try to dictate what kind of car I can drive, what my children are taught, what kind of appliances I may purchase, or my tax dollars would be subsidizing illegals from everywhere with absolutely no idea if they are criminals or have transmittable diseases. I have to prove I’m an American Citizen just to get on a plane or have a Passport travel to a foreign Country. Illegals however just walk into our Country and given everything they want or need. We need change and we need it now! Anyone that wants their Country back better vote RED across the Board. These are Personal Opinions of Course. . . . .
This article is written by a Leftist who doesn’t understand Maryland at all. HOGAN is an adamant never Trumper who didn’t support Dan Cox against tax insane Gv. Moore
I’m a Democrat and Hogan is the only Republican I have ever voted for. But we always knew that the role of governor isn’t “team-based.” That’s not the case for senate. In Congress, it’s about parties. The individuals matter far less. We know if Hogan’s in the senate, it will be Trump crazies, not moderates, running the show.