Former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican, ruled out a 2024 Senate bid on Tuesday, depriving Republicans of a candidate with a track record of winning statewide elections in Old Rhine.
Hogan was at the top of the Republican party’s list of preferred candidates after Sen. Ben Cardin (D., Md.) announced on Monday that he would not seek re-election next year. But Hogan says otherwise.
“I get a lot of calls about it,” Hogan said NewsNation’s Leland Vittert on “The Hill”.
“I have been getting calls from senators and donors. That is.”
“I told her she was crazy,” he said. “I mean, I was never interested in being a senator.”
“The Senate is a whole different job,” Hogan said. “You’re one of his 100 people arguing all day long. Not much gets done in the Senate, and most of the former governors I know going into the Senate don’t get the job done.” Not excited.
Hogan went on to say that while he could theoretically win the race, it would be difficult.
“In a presidential year, it’s even harder,” he said. “But that’s not what I’m after.”
Cardin’s announcement that he will not seek re-election has opened Maryland’s Senate seat to next year’s election. In the last 40 years, he is the only five to represent Maryland in the Senate, with Democrats John Sarbanes and Barbara Mikluski each serving his 30 years.
It’s a tough race for Republicans in a presidential election year, as Maryland is definitely a blue state.
But centrist Governor Hogan, a frequent critic of former President Trump, would have been a formidable candidate.
A Democratic source told The Hill on Monday that three candidates in their party are leading to replace Cardin: Rep. David Trone (D-Maryland), Jamie Ruskin (D-Maryland), Angela County Executive in Prince George County. Als Brooks (D).
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