Democrats pan Hogan fundraiser with ‘anti-choice’ Brian Kemp – Washington Examiner

Maryland Democrats are attempting to tie Republican Senate candidate Larry Hogan to the anti-abortion views of Gov. Brian Kemp (R-GA), who will headline a fundraiser for Hogan in Atlanta on Tuesday evening.

The event, which comes one day after the two-year anniversary of the Supreme Court striking down Roe v. Wade, prompted Maryland Democrats to dubb Kemp “the latest anti-choice Republican to rally behind Hogan.”

Kemp approved Georgia’s current abortion law, which restricts the procedure after a fetal heartbeat is detected and can be as early as six weeks into pregnancy.

“Anti-choice Republicans are rallying behind Trump-endorsed Republican Larry Hogan because he’s key to Republicans winning control of the Senate and passing a nationwide abortion ban,” Maryland Democratic Party spokeswoman Lindsay Reilly said in a statement. “That’s disqualifying for Maryland voters.”

The Hogan campaign declined to comment, but he announced earlier this year that he considers himself “pro-choice” and would vote to codify Roe v. Wade. The announcement builds on Hogan’s centrist reputation as the two-term governor of deep-blue Maryland.

The fundraiser, which features Kemp, his wife, state senators, and Georgia businesspeople, will fetch up to $10,000 per person for host committee members. Other contribution levels include $6,600 for sponsors, $3,300 for co-sponsors, and $1,000 for supporters.

Kemp, in a sense, is returning the favor to a fellow Republican with an icy relationship with former President Donald Trump. Hogan came to the aid of Kemp with fundraisers and public praise during the Georgia governor’s intense 2022 reelection battle as Trump and his allies sought Kemp’s ouster.

Access to abortion is a main attack line by Democrats and Hogan’s opponent, Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks, against the centrist Republican Senate hopeful.

Since securing the GOP nomination in a race that could determine Senate majority control, Hogan has tacked to the left on abortion access.

“In the Senate, I will work in a bipartisan way to codify Roe v. Wade as the law of the land,” he said on the two-year anniversary of Roe’s downfall. “A woman’s healthcare decisions are her own.”

Hogan told the Washington Examiner this week that Democrats’ talking points on hot-button issues, such as Trump’s unwelcomed endorsement of him and abortion, were evidence they’re “getting desperate.”

“They latch on a lot of things that just aren’t true,” he said.

Alsobrooks appeared with Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday to mark the Roe anniversary, where she tied together Trump and Hogan over their party affiliation.

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“Donald Trump endorsed him because the two of them share something in common, along with Mitch McConnell and so many others,” Alsobrooks said. “They share the goal of handing over the Senate to the Republican Party.”

The first polling since the May primary contest, released Monday, suggested Hogan is struggling to break through with voters in Maryland despite his popularity. Alsobrooks leads Hogan 48% to 40%, but his approval rating was 50% to her 43%.