Larry Hogan guidelines out Maryland Senate bid, dishing blow to GOP

Former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) dominated out a 2024 Senate bid Tuesday, depriving Republicans of a candidate with a confirmed report of successful statewide elections within the Previous Line State.

Hogan was on the high of the GOP’s checklist of most well-liked candidates after Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) introduced on Monday that he wouldn’t be in search of reelection subsequent 12 months. However Hogan says it’s not taking place.

“I’m getting a variety of calls about that,” Hogan advised NewsNation’s Leland Vittert on “The Hill.”

“I’m getting known as by senators, and donors, and I’m getting a number of inquiries from the media, however the factor that shocked me probably the most was that my spouse mentioned, ‘Why don’t you run for the Senate?’”

“I advised her she was loopy,” he mentioned. “I imply, I didn’t have any curiosity in being a senator.”

“The Senate is a completely completely different job,” Hogan mentioned. “You’re one in every of 100 folks arguing all day. Not loads will get completed within the Senate, and most former governors that I do know that go into the Senate aren’t thrilled with the job.

Hogan went on to say that theoretically he might win the race, however that it will be powerful.

“In a presidential 12 months, it makes it much more tough,” he mentioned. “But it surely’s not one thing I’m pursuing.”

Cardin’s announcement that he won’t search reelection opens up Maryland’s Senate seat for subsequent 12 months’s election. Over the past 40 years, solely 5 folks have represented Maryland within the Senate, with Democrats John Sarbanes and Barbara Mikulski having served for 30 years every.

It’s a tough race for the GOP in a presidential election 12 months, when Maryland is a reliably blue state.

However Hogan, a centrist governor who ceaselessly criticized former President Trump, would have been a formidable candidate.

Democratic sources indicated to The Hill on Monday on that three attainable candidates of their celebration lead the pack of contenders to exchange Cardin: Reps. David Trone (D-Md.), Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) and Prince George’s County Government Angela Alsobrooks (D).