Former Republican Gov. Larry Hogan and Democratic County Executive Angela Alsobrooks won Tuesday’s Maryland primary election for the state’s vacant U.S. Senate seat.
Hogan, who served two terms as governor of Maryland from 2015 to 2023, easily came out on top, receiving more than 60% of the votes among the crowded Republican candidates, despite being late to the race.
Mr. Alsobrooks, the Prince George’s County executive, fended off a fierce campaign mounted by deep-pocketed U.S. Rep. David Trone (D-Md.), founder of liquor retailer Total Wine. over $50 million of his own money Off to the races.
Despite the spending onslaught by lawmakers, Mr. Albrooks received 53.4% of the vote and Mr. Tron received 42.6%.
The race for the Senate seat vacated by retiring Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) is expected to be fierce despite Maryland’s Blues leanings.
Hogan, a moderate and critic of former President Donald Trump, is the second Republican in history to win reelection in Maryland, where more Democrats than Republicans are registered to vote by a 2-1 margin. He became a governor.
On the campaign trail, Hogan suggested he would continue his centrist approach to politics if elected to the Senate.
Top Senate Republicans, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), have long encouraged Mr. Hogan to seek higher office, but the former governor refused to make any recruiting efforts until February. He just barely made it in time to meet the filing deadline for the Senate Republican race. .
Mr. Hogan, 67, was diagnosed with stage 3 non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in June 2015, his first year in the governor’s mansion, but continued to work while undergoing treatment.
He has been in remission since November 2015.
But history is on Allsbrooks’ side when it comes to winning a Senate seat.
Maryland hasn’t had a Republican senator in 37 years, and President Biden won the state by a 33-point margin in 2020.
Democrats also control both chambers of the state Legislature and the governor’s mansion, and all but one member of Old Line’s congressional delegation are Democrats.
“On November 5, 2024, we are going to defeat Larry Hogan, keep Maryland blue, and keep the Senate in Democratic control. Please spread the word,” Albrooks said after his victory. I wrote to X.
If elected, Albrooks would be Maryland’s first Black female senator and the third Black woman elected to the Senate.
Democrats currently hold a slim 51-49 majority in the Senate, but must defend 23 seats this cycle, while Republicans must defend just 11.
