Out and About (Sort of): Race To Watch by Howard Freedlander

A friend recently asked if I thought that former Gov. Larry Hogan could win the U.S. Senate race against either Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks or Congressperson David Trone (D, 6th).

My immediate reaction: absolutely.

A recent poll conducted by the University of Maryland and the Washington Post showed Hogan with a 20-point lead over the two Democrats. The same poll showed respondents, by a 20-point margin, favoring Democrat control of the Senate.

I, too, am keenly committed to Democratic control over the Senate; the alternative is an unpleasant one to me.

Democratic control over the Senate is a necessity for me. Republican dominance has produced three conservative Supreme Court justices, much to the detriment of judicial balance. At times, the 6-3 majority projects the impression that the Supreme Court is simply a branch of the right-wing Republican Party.

The two failed impeachment trials of the reprehensible Donald Trump illustrated the skewed power of the Senate. Facts did not matter to Republican senators. They only wanted to protect the Jan. 21, 2021, instigator. They forgot their original outage at the attack on our nation’s capital and democracy. They chose to downplay an un-American raid on the U.S. Capitol,

Shame on the spineless Republicans.

Moderate senators like Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski and Mitt Romney have voices, but no sway. Their distaste for Trump matters not to their GOP colleagues. They are lonely voices in the political wilderness. They endure scathing criticism from the ex-president, who cares little about moderation in thought or manner.

Introduce former Gov. Hogan to the clubby Senate—and Lord knows if he would retain his independence. He would be playing on a different field where moderation is secondary to extremism. His aversion to engaging in culture wars may not last.

Flamethrowers like Ted Cruz of Texas dominate the Senate. Their behavior and commentary are equally obnoxious. Ambition trumps character.

I have said it before: I like Larry Hogan. In fact, I voted for him when he ran for re-election. I applaud his independence, particularly his disdain for the ex-president. He cared little about criticism from extremists or even Trump.

He expected incoming fire. It did not bother him.

But the U.S. Senate is different terrain than the Maryland State House. He would be expected to vote with the party; leadership might tolerate some dissension, but not much.

Persuaded by the powerful minority leader, Mitch McConnell (R, KY), to run for the seat to be vacated by Sen. Ben Cardin, Hogan will likely be the recipient of huge sums of money from the Republican Senate Campaign Committee. McConnell will solicit deep-pocketed PACs to donate to Hogan.

Hogan is a strong campaigner. He speaks plainly. He seems comfortable at campaign events. He is well-organized. He is likable.

Control of the Senate is my line in the sand. Therefore, I cannot vote for Gov. Hogan. I will watch his campaign and poll numbers with intense interest.

Beware, Democrats and Independents, of the very real possibility that Larry Hogan is a formidable candidate who could win. He has far more name recognition than the Alsobrooks and Trone. That may change, as my Spy colleagues, Craig Fuller and Al From, said last Thursday during their weekly conversation.

However, it is important to understand that Alsobrooks and Trone are known politicians in the two largest voting jurisdictions, Prince George’s and Montgomery counties, in the state. Democrats have triumphed in statewide races by winning one or both of these counties and Baltimore City.

Still, Hogan will run a tough, well-funded campaign. He savors political combat.

Columnist Howard Freedlander retired in 2011 as Deputy State Treasurer of the State of Maryland. Previously, he was the executive officer of the Maryland National Guard. He also served as community editor for Chesapeake Publishing, lastly at the Queen Anne’s Record-Observer. After 44 years in Easton, Howard and his wife, Liz, moved in November 2020 to Annapolis, where they live with Toby, a King Charles Cavalier Spaniel who has no regal bearing, just a mellow, enticing disposition.