In new TV ad, Maryland's Larry Hogan charts potential Senate path forward as centrist

'In the Senate, Republicans can't count on my vote,' Hogan said

Former governor Larry Hogan says an ‘angry Democratic primary’ likely ‘turned off a lot of voters’ in Maryland

Former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, the winner of the Republican Senate primary, tells Fox News Digital that he aims to convince Democrats in blue state Maryland that ‘I’m going to be the same exact kind of U.S. senator that I was as governor’.

Republican Senate candidate Larry Hogan is warning Republicans in Washington, D.C., that he won't be a reliable vote if Maryland chooses to send him to the Capitol. 

In a new TV ad aired Tuesday, the former Maryland governor stressed his bipartisan bona fides. "In the Senate, Republicans can't count on my vote. But then again, neither can Democrats," he said. 

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Former Maryland governor Larry Hogan

Hogan is charting a moderate Republican path to victory in a blue state.  (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File)

"If they want my vote, they will have to do what is right for Maryland. Not one political party," Hogan continued in the video, first reported by Punchbowl News. "That's exactly what I did as your governor, and exactly the kind of senator I'll be."

The latest ad comes as Democrats, who are fighting an uphill battle to hold onto the Senate majority despite an unfavorable election map, have taken aim at the Maryland Republican, painting him as a lackey of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and a dependable GOP vote. 

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Using the particularly hot-button election issue of abortion, Democrats have claimed Hogan would help Republicans in the Senate pass a national ban on the procedure. However, the former Republican governor has said he is "pro-choice" and would support codifying the overturned Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade, per the New York Times

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Supreme Court Abortion decision

Abortion has become a significant issue for voters following the overturning of Roe v. Wade. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

The deep blue state of Maryland is considered a "Likely Democratic" race by non-partisan political handicapper, the Cook Political Report. Before Hogan entered the race, the Senate seat being vacated by outgoing Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., was understood to be a safe win for Democrats. But the popular two-term governor's choice to run has presented an unexpected challenge for the Democratic Party, which already contends with several difficult elections across the country. 

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Donald Trump speaking

Hogan is known as a prominent Republican critic of Trump.  (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Despite his party affiliation, Hogan has shown promise in the blue state, especially with his reputation as an anti-Trump moderate. 

In a March Washington Post/University of Maryland poll, Hogan defeated then-Democratic primary candidate Angela Alsobrooks 50%-36%. Notably, the poll was conducted during a heated Democratic primary campaign, prior to the Prince George’s County Executive's win. 

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

Julia Johnson is a politics writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business, leading coverage of the U.S. Senate. She was previously a politics reporter at the Washington Examiner. 

Follow Julia's reporting on X at @JuliaaJohnson_ and send tips to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Authored by Julia Johnson via FoxNews May 28th 2024