Larry Hogan, Republicans’ Dream Senate Majority-Maker: Hogan’s Latest Headaches

Welcome to “Larry Hogan: Republicans’ Dream Senate Majority-Maker,” an update on the latest news on self-described “lifelong Republican” Larry Hogan. Hogan, who was recruited by Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell and vows to caucus with Republicans, could be the 51st seat Republicans need to win control of the U.S. Senate and push forward an agenda that’s out of step with Marylanders, including a nationwide abortion ban.

Hogan’s “lifelong Republican” record has been in the news nonstop:

• OVERTURNING ROE WASN’T “INCREDIBLE,” LARRY: New reporting from Semafor reveals that Republican Larry Hogan “heaped praise on Donald Trump for his Supreme Court nominees” just “months after all three joined a majority ruling overturning Roe.” At the same time Americans were reeling from the Court’s decision, Hogan called the Trump appointees responsible for ending Roe “incredible justices.”

• HOGAN IN THE HOT SEAT FOR DOWNPLAYING HIS ANTI-LGBTQ+ RECORD: Republican Larry Hogan is facing criticism after he dismissed the concerns of an LGBTQ+ Marylander who asked about his record opposing LGBTQ+ rights during a recent town hall. As governor, Hogan refused to sign bills to ban health care providers from discriminating against LGBTQ+ patients, expand the definition of a hate crime to include gender identity, ban the gay and trans “panic” defenses that enables criminals to evade culpability by blaming their victim’s sexual orientation or gender identity, and more.MARYLAND’S LEGISLATIVE LGBTQ+ CAUCUS REACTS:
•  DELEGATES KRIS FAIR, ANNE KAISER, JOE VOGEL, ASHANTI MARTINEZ & BONNIE CULLISON: “[Hogan’s] attempt to dismiss and downplay his record of opposing protections for our community is shameful and a slap in the face to our community… It is critical that we protect the Democratic majority in the Senate by electing Angela Alsobrooks this November. If Republicans get a majority in the Senate, they will continue to not only ignore the needs of our community but could roll back the protections we fought so hard for.”
•  STATE SENATOR MARY WASHINGTON: “If Larry Hogan is elected, he’d turn the Senate over to Republicans and help roll back the progress that the Biden-Harris Administration has made to ensure that ALL families in Maryland have the protections we need. Our community can’t afford a Republican-controlled Senate flipped by Larry Hogan.”
•  DELEGATE ANNE KAISER: “Republican Larry Hogan can’t rewrite history. Hogan made clear throughout his time as governor that he will not stand up for Maryland’s LGBTQ+ community. If elected to the Senate, Hogan could be the 51st seat Republicans need to push forward an agenda that’ll rip away rights from LGBTQ+ Marylanders.”
• ADS SO DECEIVING: Maryland leaders are slamming Republican Larry Hogan for running deceptive advertisements, including an ad that downplays his anti-abortion rights record, an ad bankrolled by the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) that touts Hogan as “independent,” and an ad that featured a Democratic lawmaker without her consent.WHAT THEY’RE SAYING:
• COMPTROLLER BROOKE LIERMAN: “I was one of the many Democrats who stood up to then Governor Hogan when he threatened reproductive freedoms here in Maryland by vetoing critical legislation. It is truly outrageous that he thinks he can dupe Maryland women into believing he will support our reproductive rights when he has a lifetime record of opposing them.”
• STATE SENATOR JEFF WALDSTREICHER: “It’s rich that Larry Hogan is running ads paid for by the National Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee while trying to posture as some type of ‘independent.’ This latest bankrolled ad is just a stark and unsettling reminder that for Republicans, this Maryland Senate race is solely about taking back the Senate majority.”
• STATE SENATOR CHERYL KAGAN: “I often tell constituents that Republican Larry Hogan isn’t nearly as moderate or bipartisan as his PR people would lead you to believe. Sadly, his consultants have spent years stretching the truth in order to reinforce that inaccurate perception. It is outrageous and misleading that I was included in Hogan’s most recent campaign ad. Just because I applauded at one part of his annual State of the State address does not imply that I approve of the Republican agenda. I am asking that Larry Hogan remove my image from his latest ad and never use it again without my express permission.”
• HOGAN HAMMERED IN THE OPINION PAGES: Marylanders are reading about the risk Republican Larry Hogan poses to abortion rights, with multiple voters saying in the Baltimore Sun opinion pages they can’t back Hogan because his election would give Republicans control of the Senate and endanger reproductive rights.SEE FOR YOURSELF:
• MARYLAND LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR ARUNA MILLER: Abortion rights won’t be safe with Hogan in the Senate: “I’ve had a front-row seat to Hogan’s extensive record opposing abortion rights. With control of the U.S. Senate on the line, Marylanders need to know that we will very likely determine whether we have a Democratic-led Senate that’ll protect abortion rights and freedoms — or a Republican majority that won’t.”
• BALTIMORE CITY RESIDENT: Voters can’t trust Hogan on abortion rights: “I don’t buy Hogan’s claims that he wouldn’t help Republicans crack down on abortion rights. His election alone would empower U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, the author of a nationwide abortion ban, to chair the Senate Judiciary Committee and ram through judicial nominees who don’t support reproductive freedom… Voting for Hogan means voting for a Republican takeover of the Senate.”
• OWINGS MILLS RESIDENT: Can’t support Hogan with abortion rights on the line: “I voted for Larry Hogan for governor both times he ran… What keeps me from voting for Hogan for the U.S. Senate now is former President Donald Trump… There is no possibility that Hogan won’t succumb to Trump’s pressure and give the Republicans control of the Senate. I have two granddaughters who do not need the worry or the pressure of someone else controlling their reproductive rights.”
• WHAT MARYLANDERS ARE CLICKING ON → Maryland Democrats recently launched RepublicanLarryHogan.com, a new website dedicated to holding Mitch McConnell’s handpicked Senate recruit, Republican Larry Hogan, accountable for being the 51st seat Republicans need to retake the Senate majority and push forward an extreme agenda, including a nationwide abortion ban.MORE COVERAGE: Maryland Matters: New Dem Website Hits Hogan (8/27/24)