Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) will not run for the Senate, rebuffing overtures from senior Senate Republicans who had sought to put another seat in play during the midterm elections.
At a press conference Tuesday, Hogan said he had considered a run but that he ultimately concluded he should focus on finishing out his second term as governor. Hogan is term-limited and cannot run for reelection this year.
“I will not be a candidate for the United States Senate. I sincerely appreciate all the people who have been encouraging me to consider it. A number of people have said they thought I could make a difference in the Senate,” Hogan said. “I don’t aspire to be a United States senator, and that fact has not changed.”
“I plan to run through the tape and finish next January,” he said.
Hogan called Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Tuesday to inform him. Hogan said he had also spoken with Sen. Rick Scott (Fla.), the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, and Sens. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) to tell them he wouldn’t be running.
Hogan said he also called Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), the incumbent who will seek reelection next year.
“I also just spoke with Sen. Van Hollen to let him know that he can rest easy and get a good night’s sleep tonight,” Hogan said, laughing.
Hogan, whose approval rating has remained high throughout the coronavirus pandemic, has been a vocal opponent of former President Trump. Hogan said he voted for someone other than Trump in both 2016 and 2020, and he has made little secret of his own interest in a White House campaign in 2024.
At the same time he closed the door on a Senate bid, Hogan seemed to take another step toward a presidential bid. His political action committee, An America United, released a video Tuesday highlighting Hogan’s call for a new approach to politics delivered during his State of the State address last week.