Former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan closes door on Senate run: ‘Didn’t have any interest’

Former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican, said Tuesday he will not run for Maryland’s open U.S. Senate seat in 2024 despite calls from within his party to enter the race.

Hogan, who served two terms as governor before term limits forced him out in January, said he was asked to run by GOP lawmakers and donors, and even his wife after longtime Democrat Sen. Ben Cardin announced Monday that he will not seek re-election.

“I’m getting a lot of calls about that,” Hogan said in an interview on NewsNation. “I’m getting called by senators and donors, and I’m getting lots of inquiries from the media, but the thing that surprised me the most was that my wife said, ‘Why don’t you run for the Senate?’ I told her she was crazy. I mean, I didn’t have any interest in being a senator.”

Emphasizing that senators have less influence on Capitol Hill than governors do in their respective states, Hogan reiterated that a U.S. Senate seat does not appeal to him. 

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“The Senate is an entirely different job,” Hogan said. “You’re one of 100 people arguing all day. Not a lot gets done in the Senate, and most former governors that I know that go into the Senate aren’t thrilled with the job.”

The moderate Republican and vocal critic of former President Trump was elected to lead Maryland twice in a reliably blue state. The former governor cited recent polls showing he would have favorable odds to win the election, although he admits securing the victory would be tough in 2024.

“In a presidential year, it makes it even more difficult,” Hogan said. “But it’s just not something I’ve ever aspired to do.”

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“I’ve just never been interested in the job … it’s not something I’m pursuing,” he added. 

Last year, Hogan decided not to run against Democrat Sen. Chris Van Hollen in the 2022 midterm elections despite encouragement from Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and other Republicans. He said at the time that he did not “aspire to be a United States senator.”

Hogan said in March that he decided not to run for president in 2024 after considering a run for the White House.

A Republican has not represented Maryland in the U.S. Senate since 1986.

Montgomery County Council member Will Jawando, a progressive Democrat, announced Tuesday his bid to replace Cardin in the Senate. Jawando is the first to announce his candidacy for Maryland’s open Senate seat.

“I’m running for the U.S. Senate because I believe we can build a shared prosperity in Maryland that lifts everybody up and leaves no one behind,” Jawando said in his video announcement on social media.