Hogan owns ‘un-Trump Republican’ title after saying he ‘didn’t want’ former president’s endorsement – Washington Examiner
Former Maryland Governor Larry Hogan is positioning himself as an “un-Trump Republican” as he campaigns for a Senate seat, emphasizing his independent approach in a predominantly Democratic state. Since announcing his candidacy, Hogan has celebrated his opposition to Donald Trump, seeking to attract centrist voters while aiming to break the long-standing Democratic hold on the state. His campaign features a TV ad that highlights his criticism of Trump, labeling him as an “early critic” of the former president. Hogan rejects Trump’s endorsement, stating he did not seek it, as he believes it could negatively impact his appeal in Maryland, where Trump is unpopular. Hogan is advocating for strong independent leadership and distancing himself from the extremes, particularly through criticisms of Trump’s actions surrounding the January 6 Capitol riots.
Hogan owns ‘un-Trump Republican’ title after saying he ‘didn’t want’ former president’s endorsement
Former Gov. Larry Hogan celebrated his status as an “early critic of Donald Trump” as he framed himself as an independent candidate fit to represent the Democratic stronghold of Maryland.
Hogan gained notoriety for his widespread popularity as the two-term Republican governor of a deep-blue state. Since mounting a bid for the Senate this spring, Hogan has continued his strategy of invoking a centrist stance and distancing himself from controversial Republicans, including former President Donald Trump, as he fights to topple the blue wall and become the first GOP senator to represent the state since 1987.
A 60-second TV ad released by the Hogan campaign on Tuesday continued the former governor’s “anti-Trump” positioning.
“The un-Trump Republican: Governor Larry Hogan’s radically normal model for the GOP” is one of the headlines that flash on the screen as a narrator touts the Maryland Republican as “an early critic of Donald Trump.”
“Now more than ever, we need strong independent leadership in Washington who will never back down to the extremes and the party bosses,” Hogan said in a post to X announcing the TV ad.
Trump endorsed Hogan earlier this year, a move that the former Maryland governor declared was unwelcome.
“I didn’t seek it, I didn’t want to have it, and I have no interest in it,” Hogan commented about the endorsement in June.
“It’s not something we’re going to be promoting. That’s for sure,” he added as he courts centrist voters. Trump’s endorsement could hurt Hogan in a state where the former president is widely unpopular. Trump lost Maryland by 33 percentage points during the 2020 election.
During the one-minute ad, touted as the first of the fall campaign, Hogan issued thinly veiled condemnations of Trump’s handling of the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol.
“An early critic of Donald Trump — one of the few Republicans who never caved,” the narrator proclaims. “And on January 6th, as we watched in horror, Hogan didn’t just talk about defending democracy, he did something — sending in the Maryland National Guard to protect the Capitol,” the ad continues.
Throughout his Senate battle against Prince George County Executive Angela Alsobrooks, Hogan has been determined to cast himself as a centrist Republican in the mold of Sen. Joe Manchin (I-WV). The maverick ex-Democrat, whom Hogan calls a “good friend,” often clashed with the party leadership for crossing partisan lines.
The latest polling indicates Hogan is in a dead heat with Alsobrooks.
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