Republican Larry Hogan reveals the unexpected quirk of his former colleague Tim Walz that can win over voters as he brushes off Republican firestorm for praising him
While most Republicans were preparing their attack lines over Kamala Harris’ “extremely progressive” choice for a running mate to Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Republican former Gov. Larry Hogan offered heartfelt praise.
In the eyes of some angry conservatives, he has some explaining to do. But the former governor is not going to let that get him down.
“I think (Walz) is a nice guy. I’ve always gotten along with him, and I think he was a good choice,” the Maryland Republican Senate candidate told DailyMail.com exclusively.
“He’s going to add some things to the ticket. He’s going to bring a little bit of perspective.”
Hogan said he worked closely with Walz when he was chairman of the National Governors’ Association.
He continued: “I thought (Pennsylvania Gov. Josh) Shapiro was a good choice, too, but I thought picking a governor was really smart. I think they have the best experience.”
“I want to congratulate Governor Walz on his selection as the Democratic nominee for vice president,” the Republican candidate for Maryland Senate wrote Tuesday on X
Republicans were outraged after he posted his congratulations to X on Tuesday after Harris announced her pick.
“We had the opportunity to work together as fellow governors and although we come from different parties, I have always appreciated his dedication to public service,” Hogan said.
“I believe we need more governors at the national level because governors have to actually get things done. I wish Tim and his family the best in the upcoming campaign.”
“It is truly sad that in this day and age, a personal statement of well-wishes from a former colleague can be twisted into an attack,” said campaign spokesman Blake Kernen. “This was not a political statement.”
“Hogan is a different kind of leader who leads from a human perspective – he doesn’t make obligatory partisan statements.”
However, Hogan did not give the same praise when Donald Trump chose JD Vance as his running mate.
In fact, he told DailyMail.com, Vance’s recent comments about women, in which he criticized single “childless cats,” were “not helpful.”
But the moderate former governor insisted he would not vote for either the Republican or Democratic candidates.
In June, Hogan said he had “no interest” in a Trump endorsement. He is running for Senate in November as a Republican in solidly blue Maryland.
Walz, the 60-year-old father of two, is a former U.S. congressman, schoolteacher, football coach and served more than two decades in the Army National Guard. He was seen as a more liberal choice than fellow Pennsylvania governor candidate Josh Shapiro.
Harris announced her VP Pick Tim Walz on Tuesday
As Governor, Walz codified abortion rights, signed universal free school meals, legalized recreational marijuana, and gave former prisoners the right to vote. He passed legislation allowing illegal immigrants to get driver’s licenses.
Although he significantly increased school funding, it did not translate into higher test scores. In 2015, the state ranked sixth in the nation for education quality — by 2024, it sank to 19th.
A staunch ally of the LGBTQ+ community, he served as a teacher adviser for the first gay-straight alliance at the high school and later as governor during efforts to ban “conversion therapy” for youth in the state.
Walz is fond of touting his state’s access to health care. His administration has implemented drug price transparency requirements and struck a deal with Eli Lilly to cap insulin prices in the state.