Former Maryland Republican Gov. Larry Hogan has often referred to “dysfunction in Washington” as he talks about political gridlock on Capitol Hill.
When asked why Hogan, who is now running for the U.S. Senate, would want to be a part of that, he responded by saying, “I really don’t want to.”
“Who in their right mind would want to be part of that divisiveness and dysfunction?” Hogan asked in an interview with WTOP. “It’s complete gridlock.”
If elected, Hogan said he would be “part of the solution and be part of cleaning up the mess and trying to get people to work together in a common sense, bipartisan way.”
“Toxic politics is out of control,” Hogan said. “It seems as if the extremes of both parties are the only ones that get all the attention, and nothing ever gets done.”
Hogan said that he would focus on being a “fiscal conservative, stimulating the economy and creating opportunity and jobs.”
Hogan is running to succeed the retiring Sen. Ben Cardin, and he’s hoping to become the first Republican in more than 40 years to win a Senate seat in deep-blue Maryland, where Democrats outnumber Republicans by a 2:1 ratio statewide.
If Hogan were to win, Republicans would almost certainly claim the majority in the U.S. Senate.
Hogan faces six other Republican candidates on May 14 for the primary election, though none are as politically well-known as the former two-term governor.
Leading contenders in the Democratic primary include Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks and U.S. Rep. David Trone.
A ‘traditional Republican’
Nationwide, Hogan is one of the most vocal Republican critics of Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee for U.S. president.
Despite that, Hogan insisted that he would be willing and able to work with Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill who support Trump, pointing to his ability to draw votes from across the political spectrum in Maryland.
“When I was reelected in 2018, it was in a landslide,” Hogan said. “I became the second Republican reelected in 247 years in the history of the state, and we got the support of nearly all the Republicans and nearly all of the independents and about a third of the Democrats.”
Hogan added that “there are some disagreements and some people that we’re not going to satisfy or please.”
He downplayed the fact that some Republicans have frequently used the term “RINO” to criticize him as a “Republican In Name Only.”
“I’ve been active in the Republican Party since I was 10 years old,” Hogan said. “They can call me whatever they want, but I’m a traditional Republican who’s been involved in the party for 50 years.”
- Trone and Alsobrooks speak to WTOP about issues facing Maryland and the Senate
- Listen to the full interview with Angela Alsobrooks and read a transcript
- Listen to the full interview with David Trone and read a transcript
- Maryland 2024 primary election voter guide: Everything you need to know
Abortion has consistently been a losing issue for Republicans.
While some Democrats have suggested that Hogan would support a federal abortion ban, Hogan insisted that he would not.
“Of course not,” Hogan said. “I’m not a cookie-cutter Republican and they can’t use the same generic attacks on me because my position is different.”
When asked to clarify his position on abortion, Hogan responded by saying, “My position is to not take action to take away women’s rights to reproductive health.”
Maryland voters are set to decide whether to enshrine the right to abortion in the state constitution in November.
The war in Gaza
Hogan touched on the war between Israel and Hamas, saying, “We’re all concerned about the tragic loss of innocent life in Gaza.”
The most recent war started after Oct. 7, when Hamas militants stormed from the blockaded Gaza Strip into nearby Israeli towns, killing dozens and abducting others in an unprecedented surprise attack.
Hogan said the most immediate step toward peace that he would advocate for is the “Hamas terrorists who are taking advantage of the innocent civilians in Palestine” releasing Israeli hostages they continue to hold.
“In the meantime, we’ve got to back Israel’s right to continue to go after the people that caused the attacks of Oct. 7 until they eradicate this terrorist organization,” Hogan said.
Tensions have ratcheted up in standoffs with protesters of the Israel-Hamas war on college campuses across the U.S.
Some colleges cracked down immediately. Others have tolerated the demonstrations. Some have started to call in police over concerns about disruptions to campus life and safety.
On Wednesday, D.C. police used pepper spray to clear a pro-Palestinian encampment at George Washington University.
“If people are expressing their First Amendment rights, and they’re out there with legitimate concerns and peaceful protests, we should support their ability to do that,” Hogan said. “If they start threatening people’s lives and taking over buildings and destroying property, then they should be moved out.”
After the crackdown at George Washington University, D.C. Police Chief Pamela Smith said there were signs the protest was becoming more volatile and less stable.
Bridge collapse response
Maryland transportation officials said the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore would be rebuilt by fall 2028, a timeline Hogan called “unacceptable.”
“Frankly, you could get it done faster if we can streamline things,” Hogan said. “It’s a very important thing, not just for Baltimore, but it’s a federal highway.”
Hogan said that, if elected, he would work in the Senate to remove red tape in order to get a bridge built quicker.
The bridge collapsed March 26 after a giant container ship crashed into it.
Hogan said he’s already been urging the Biden administration to expedite the environmental assessment and the Endangered Species Act review in order to jump-start the rebuild project.
“Most of the delays are the federal environmental process and the wildlife process you have to go through, and we’ve got to figure out ways to maybe streamline it so we can cut time,” Hogan said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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