(The Center Square) – Larry Hogan, former Maryland Republican governor, announced his bid to run for the U.S. Senate on Friday.
Hogan joins a crowded field of Republican candidates vying for retiring Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin’s seat.
Friday was the filing deadline for the May 14 primary. Hogan faces Robin Ficker, Lorie Friend, Christopher Puleo and John Teichert for the Republican spot in the general election.
Hogan, in a video posted to social media, vows to serve both parties, harking back to his days as a staunch critic of former President Donald Trump.
Posting to X, the site formerly known as Twitter, he said, “I am running for the United States Senate – not to serve one party – but to stand up to both parties, fight for Maryland, and fix our nation’s broken politics. It’s what I did as Maryland’s governor, and it’s exactly how I’ll serve Maryland in the Senate. Let’s get back to work.”
In the video announcement, Hogan drew parallels between his tenure as governor and his father, Larry Hogan Sr., who served in Congress during the Watergate scandal. The elder Hogan was the first Republican to support the impeachment of President Richard Nixon, crediting his father for rising above politics.
His father “put aside party politics and his own personal considerations and he stepped up to do the right thing for Maryland and the nation,” Hogan said in the video. “Today, Washington is completely broken because that kind of leadership, that kind of willingness to put country over party has become far too rare.”
If Hogan wins the primary, he will likely have to win over moderate voters to pull off a win in the traditionally blue state. Democratic Gov. Wes Moore was elected in 2022 with 64% of the vote.
Despite Maryland’s Democratic leanings, Hogan may boast the best bet for Republicans in flipping the Senate seat red. Hogan won two terms as governor, including a 12-point victory in 2018. Hogan defied the odds by being the first Republican governor in over six decades to win a second term.
Hogan, looking to replicate his prior victories, is highlighting his moderate record, hoping to appeal to voters on both sides of the aisle.
“My fellow Marylanders, you know me. For eight years we proved that the toxic politics that divide our nation need not divide our state,” Hogan said. “One party alone can’t fix it. We desperately need leaders willing to stand up to both parties, leaders who appreciate that not one of us have all the answers or all the power.”
