Donald Trump Critic Handed Election Win

Larry Hogan, the former governor of Maryland, won his state’s Republican Senate primary on Tuesday, according to the Associated Press (AP).

Hogan, 67, was up against GOP candidates Robin Ficker and Chris Chaffee, and was declared the winner by AP at 8:38 p.m. EST. The former governor, who served two terms from 2015 to 2023, has been a vocal critic of former President Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee in November.

AP also declared Trump the winner of Maryland’s GOP primary race at 8:27 p.m. EST Tuesday.

The Context

Hogan’s win on Tuesday puts Trump’s influence over the Republican Party to the test. The former governor is also vying to replace retiring Democratic Senator Ben Cardin’s seat. If he wins in November, Hogan would be the first Republican senator for Maryland since 1987.

Following the riots at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, Hogan became a vocal critic of Trump, and has pressed his party to move away from the former president’s influence in recent elections. He had previously endorsed former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination and told Axios in March that he will not be voting for Trump in the fall.

“The party is still the party of Trump,” Hogan told The New York Times in an interview on Monday. “But I’m still a voice of reason to try to make sure we get back to a more traditional Republican Party.”

What We Know

During the Times interview, Hogan also discussed his continued criticism of the former president and his impact on the Republican Party, telling the outlet that he feels “a little bit like I’m running toward the burning building” by running for Senate.

He added, however, that “you can either give up and walk away or you can continue to try to fight to get things back to the place you want it to be.”

Views

During his victory speech Tuesday night, Hogan said that he was pressed to run for Senate because he has “never been more concerned about the direction of our nation, and there are times in history when we desperately need leaders to step up and put the country first.”

Hogan also spoke about his father, Lawrence Hogan, a former representative from Maryland, who in 1974 was the only Republican House member to vote in favor of all three articles of impeachment against then-President Richard Nixon, a fellow Republican.

“He put aside party politics and his own personal considerations, and he stepped up to do the right thing for Maryland and the nation,” Hogan said.

Hogan also attempted to reach Democratic and independent voters during his speech, promising “the women of Maryland” that he “will continue to protect your right to make your own reproductive health decisions.”

Newsweek reached out to Trump’s campaign via email on Tuesday night for reaction to Hogan’s primary win.

What’s Next

Hogan will face Democratic nominee Angela Alsobrooks in November, the executive of Prince George’s County who won her party’s Senate nomination Tuesday night. Several Democratic lawmakers celebrated Alsobrooks’ win over social media, including Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman, New Jersey Senator Cory Booker and Florida Representative Maxwell Frost.

“On November 5, 2024, we are going to defeat Larry Hogan, keep Maryland blue, and keep our Senate under Democratic control—spread the word,” Alsobrooks wrote to X, formerly Twitter, on Tuesday night.

Update 05/14/24, 10:13 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information and background.