Marjorie Taylor Greene and AOC Clash in Hogan’s $2M Maryland Ad Campaign
By Jake Beardslee ·
August 8, 2024
In a move to appeal to Maryland's increasingly blue electorate, Republican Senate candidate Larry Hogan is launching a new $2 million ad campaign that highlights his centrist positions.
The ad, funded by both Hogan's campaign and the National Republican Senatorial Committee, is set to hit airwaves across the state this week. Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK
The ad opens with clips of Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene and progressive Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, juxtaposed with the words "divisiveness" and "gridlock." Megan Smith-USA TODAY
"We can't heal our divide by electing the same partisan politicians," the ad states. "We need independent leaders who will stand up for us and Maryland, bringing sanity to a broken system." Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK
Hogan, a former Republican governor of Maryland, is running in a state that has become increasingly Democratic in recent years. The ad emphasizes his record of cutting taxes, tolls and fees, as well as making housing and healthcare more affordable. Lauren Roberts/Salisbury Daily Times / USA TODAY NETWORK
It also touts his opposition to the "extreme Project 2025" policy, a Heritage Foundation plan that has become a target for Democrats. Project 2025 / Wikimedia
"Larry Hogan cut taxes, tolls and fees every year. Larry Hogan made housing and health care more affordable. He supports restoring women's right to choose, everywhere, and will fight the extreme Project 2025," the ad declares. Maryland GovPics / Wikimedia
In a Truth Social post, Trump recently claimed to know "nothing" about Project 2025 and said he has "no idea who is behind it," though he acknowledged disagreeing with some of its propositions. Joshua L. Jones / USA TODAY NETWORK
However, Trump's assertion that he is unfamiliar with Project 2025 is undermined by his close relationship with the Heritage Foundation, the conservative think tank that has spearheaded the initiative.
During his first presidential campaign in 2016, Trump was provided with a similar "Mandate for Leadership" from the Heritage Foundation, and he went on to enact nearly two-thirds of their proposals within his first year in office, according to People.com. Joshua L. Jones / USA TODAY NETWORK
Hogan, who has been a vocal critic of former President Trump, told DailyMail.com that he has "never really thought about parties." MDGovpics / Wikimedia
"I've always just tried to go out and meet people one-on-one and convince them that I was going to represent all the people in Maryland," he said. MDGovpics / Wikimedia
Despite his popularity as governor, with an approval rating of nearly 70 percent in 2022, Hogan's centrist approach has had little down-ballot effect for Republicans in Maryland. MDGovpics / Wikimedia
President Biden won the state by a comfortable margin of 65 percent in 2020, and the current Senate race has Democrat Angela Alsobrooks leading Hogan by 48 to 39 percent, according to a RealClearPolitics polling average. Dwight A. Weingarten / USA TODAY NETWORK
Hogan, however, remains undaunted, stating, "The week of the election [in 2014] they said I was 12 points down. We won by five. So the only thing that matters is November." Lauren Roberts/Salisbury Daily Times / USA TODAY NETWORK
As the Maryland Senate race heats up, Hogan's ability to appeal to independent-minded voters will be a key factor in determining whether he can overcome the state's partisan leanings and pull off an upset victory. Colleen McGrath/Herald-Mail / USA TODAY NETWORK
