A governor uses his executive power to block efforts to expand abortion access, strengthen background checks on gun purchases, and require companies to offer paid family leave. That may sound like someone vying to be Donald Trump’s running mate, but it’s actually Larry Hogan, the former Maryland governor seen by many as the avatar of anti-Trump Republican moderation.
But now that Hogan has turned Maryland into a competitive Senate race, Democrats are intent on puncturing the perception of him as a moderate. The party already faces an uphill battle in maintaining its Senate control: Democrats are defending 23 seats while Republicans are defending only 10. The GOP needs to net only one or two seats to take over the chamber. “Maryland voters understand the consequences of elections,” says Susan Turnbull, former chair of the Maryland Democratic Party.
For Hogan, the decision comes with risks. Entering a high-stakes Senate race will subject him to opposition research and Democrats resurrecting the stains on his past. In April 2021, the Maryland state legislaturethat found Hogan, after canceling a planned $2.9 billion rail line through Baltimore, routed the freed-up funds to road and highway infrastructure projects near properties owned by his real estate investment firm, a development that can boost the value of those properties.