A top Republican Senate candidate promised in an ad that he would not always vote with his Republican colleagues if elected, which could unsettle his party’s leadership.
Former Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, who was very popular during his two terms in the now solidly blue state, claimed in a TV ad: “In the Senate, the Republicans can’t count on my vote, but neither can the Democrats. ‘
“If they want my vote, they’re going to have to do what’s right for Maryland, not just one political party. That’s exactly what I did as your governor, and it’s exactly the kind of senator I will be,” Hogan said.
The blatant statement that he would consider the Republican Senate’s wishes for himself and his constituents could set up a showdown with the Republican leadership team if he wins.
But for now, the leadership is backing his bid as they work to regain the majority — including his promise to be a “different” kind of politician.
Former Republican Governor of Maryland Larry Hogan promised in a recent TV ad that he would not always vote with Republicans if elected to the Senate
“Governor Hogan is a different kind of politician, and his independent brand has won him historic job approvals among Marylanders,” Tate Mitchell, spokesperson for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, told DailyMail.com.
“He has made it clear that he will do what he thinks is right to serve the people of Maryland.”
Hogan’s team also believes they are singing the right tune for Maryland voters.
“The message in this ad should not come as a surprise to anyone,” campaign spokesman Blake Kernen told DailyMail.com.
“For eight years, Governor Hogan has put Maryland first and prioritized the issues important to Maryland over partisan politics or partisan politics.”
“He will be the same independent leader in the United States Senate.”
In the ad, the Marylander appears to be taking a page from the playbook of retiring West Virginia Democrat Senator Joe Manchin by splitting from the Republican establishment.
The West Virginian repeatedly split with his Democratic party during his tenure in the Senate, siding with Republicans on expanding U.S. energy production and reducing environmental protections, which are popular positions in his state.
Despite the harsh words against Hogan, the conference still sees him as one of the best ways to regain control of the Senate chamber, where the Republican Party needs to add at least two seats to take power.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., (center) flanked by fellow GOP leadership (left to right) Sens. Steve Daines, R-Mont., John Thune, R.N.D., and Shelley Moore Capito, R.W. V., have repeatedly claimed that they are working to gain a Republican Senate majority in November
Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.V., regularly parted ways with his liberal colleagues to support the interests of West Virginians, something Hogan promises to do for Maryland voters
Currently, Republicans outnumber Democrats in the House — 49 to 48 — but there are three independent lawmakers who almost always side with the liberals.
And the Republican Party hopes that Hogan will strengthen the desired “red wave” in November, as the former governor is still extremely popular in Maryland.
Hogan first won his seat as governor of Maryland in 2014 as a moderate.
He was the state’s first GOP governor in decades, leaving office with a whopping 77 percent approval rating. local polls.
After being disenrolled, Democrat Wes Moore won the governorship.
Now Hogan faces an uphill battle against Democratic Senate candidate Angela Alsobrooks, an influential Prince George’s County executive who has become a mainstay in the liberal county bordering Washington, DC.
That showdown could wash away Republicans’ hopes of regaining control of the Senate, as recent polls show Alsobrooks with a large lead in the polls six months after the November election.
A May 9 poll from The Hill/Emerson found that Alsobrooks leads Hogan by 10 points, 48 to 38.
Former President Donald Trump did not mince his words when attacking Hogan. The two have had a public feud since Trump was last in power
Complicating matters further, in 2020, Hogan proudly proclaimed that he did not vote for former President Donald Trump, but instead wrote in for former President Ronald Reagan.
Hogan’s moderate approach earned him the scorn of the former president, who has labeled moderates a RINO — a Republican in name only — which has soured some conservative voters in Maryland on the Senate candidate.
Additionally, Hogan has claimed he would avoid voting for Trump again in 2024, furthering his feud with the Republican Party’s top dog.
But this will be the first time that Hogan and Trump will be on the same ballot — and how that will complicate the popular former governor’s Senate bid remains to be seen.