Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan rejects Republican pressure to run for Senate

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan announced Tuesday he will not run for the Senate, rejecting efforts by Republican Party leaders to persuade him to challenge incumbent Democrat Chris Van Hollen as the GOP tries to reclaim the majority in November. 

Mr. Hogan, who is serving his second term and is term-limited, made the announcement at a news conference in Annapolis. 

“I sincerely appreciate all the people who have been encouraging me to consider it,” Mr. Hogan said. “A number of people thought I could make a difference in the Senate, be a voice of common sense and moderation. I was certainly humbled by it.”

Mr. Hogan’s term ends in 2023. He told reporters he would reassess his political career in January next year and is believed to be weighing a presidential run.

“I don’t aspire to be a United States senator, and that fact has not changed,” Mr. Hogan said.

Mr. Hogan has emerged as a popular Republican governor in a deep blue state and has helped to build the state’s economy while guiding it through the COVID-19 pandemic without strict lockdowns and mandates. 

Mr. Hogan, a moderate, also has contrasted himself with the far-right wing of his party and touted his centrist approach to governing. He has been a vocal opponent of former President Donald Trump.

Republican leaders Tuesday expressed disappointment that they could not enlist Mr. Hogan to challenge Mr. Van Hollen, who is running for a second term. 

The Senate is split evenly, and analysts believe the GOP has a viable path to take back the gavel in November. Historically, the party in control of the White House loses seats in Congress during the midterm elections.

“He would have been a great candidate for the Senate,” said Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Kentucky Republican. “He’s been a terrific governor.”

A poll released last month showed that Mr. Hogan has strong support in the state from both parties, but particularly Democrats.

The Gonzales Poll found that 74% of Maryland voters say they approve of the job Mr. Hogan is doing. Meanwhile, 22% said they disapprove and 4% had no opinion. Almost 78% of Democrats say they approve, higher than the 69% of Republicans who say they do.

Unseating Mr. Van Hollen will be difficult. 

Cook Political Report, a nonpartisan race watcher, rates Mr. Van Hollen’s seat as solidly Democratic, but that likely would have shifted to less certain territory if Mr. Hogan had become the Republican challenger.

Mr. Hogan was elected in 2014, defeating Democrat and then-Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown 51% to 47%. Mr. Hogan easily won reelection in 2018, beating Democrat and former NAACP Chief Executive Officer Ben Jealous 55% to 43%.

Correction: An earlier version of this story had the wrong year for the forthcoming end of Mr. Hogan’s term as governor. The governor’s term ends in Jan. 2023.