Former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan has vowed in a new ad that neither Republicans nor Democrats will be able to count on his vote if he becomes the first member of the GOP elected to the Senate from the Old Line State in more than four decades.
“I want to say this up front: In the Senate, Republicans can’t count on my vote,” Hogan proclaimed in the spot out Tuesday. “But then again, neither can Democrats.”
“If they want my vote, they will have to do what is right for Maryland, not one political party. That’s exactly what I did as your governor, and it’s exactly the kind of senator I’ll be.”
The ad is Hogan’s second of the general election cycle following his win in the May 14 Republican primary.
His first commercial spot included a call for the codification of abortion rights nationwide — both a sharp split from his fellow Republicans and an attempt to take the starch out of what Democrats hope will be the major animating issue in the race.
The latest ad, titled, “Right for Maryland,” is part of a $1 million ad buy by Team Hogan.
Hogan, 68, has a history of criticizing former President Donald Trump, 77, and previously indicated that he wouldn’t vote for the presumptive Republican nominee in the general election.
Hogan will face Democratic Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks for the seat currently held by the retiring Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.).
Maryland voters last elected a Republican to the Senate in 1980 and even a competitive showing by Hogan Nov. 5 would indicate a very good nationwide performance for the GOP.
Democrats currently hold a 51-49 advantage in the Senate, but have to defend 23 seats this time around (including three held by independents who caucus with the party) while Republicans have to defend just 11.
Republicans have eyed Senate races in West Virginia, Montana, Ohio, Arizona, and Pennsylvania as potential pickup opportunities. While Hogan is a clear underdog in Maryland, GOP leaders agree he is the best candidate to flip the seat despite his anti-Trump stance.
In 2018, a Democratic wave year, Hogan won re-election as Maryland governor by nearly 12 percentage points. Maryland went for President Biden over Trump in 2020 by 33 percentage points.
If Alsobrooks wins, she would be the first black senator from Maryland and only the second female senator from the state following Barbara Mikulski.
