EXCLUSIVE: New Republican Ad Hits Democrats For Surging Crime

A new ad by Change Maryland is hitting Maryland Democrats for a crime surge in the state, particularly in Baltimore.

The group, aligned with Republican Gov. Larry Hogan, is urging Maryland voters to contact their legislators and ask them to pass the governor’s anti-crime policies. Democrats have resisted Hogan’s proposal to spend $150 million to bolster law enforcement and support crime victims, which he introduced last year.

The new ad highlights that Baltimore saw its deadliest January in nearly 50 years and features Hogan advocating for police to have the ability to arrest, prosecute and sentence more violent criminals than they are now.

Democrats called Hogan’s plan, which proposes spending tens of millions of dollars on local police aid, neighborhood safety grants and accountability measures like body cameras “misguided” and “divisive.”

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott said it was “uninformed rhetoric.” (RELATED: Hogan Rejects Senate Run, Says Republicans Are ‘Focused On The Wrong Things’)

Last year, Maryland became the first state to repeal its “police bill of rights” when Democrats overrode a Hogan veto. Since then, Hogan has advocated for “refunding the police” as Democrats across the country debate what stance the party should take on criminal justice issues.

The popular term-limited governor recently announced he would not be pursuing a U.S. Senate run in blue Maryland, despite attempts by many Republicans, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s wife Elaine Chao, to recruit him to do so. An internal poll shared with the Daily Caller showed Hogan leading incumbent Democrat Chris Van Hollen by 12 points.