Democrats Are Panicking After New Poll Shows Deep Blue Maryland Under Threat In Senate Race

On Wednesday, a new poll from the University of Maryland has Democrats in the Old Line State panicking after former Gov. Larry Hogan (R-MD) announced his bid for the open Senate seat to replace retiring Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD). Hogan's entry into the race opens the Senate map to another battleground that the Democrats will have to defend, given that they are on the back foot in red states like Montana and Ohio, purple states like Pennsylvania and Arizona, and now even blue Maryland. 

The poll found that Hogan dominated both of his potential Democrat challengers by double digits. Hogan is crushing Rep. David Trone (D-MD) and Prince George's County Executive Angela Alsobrooks by 12 and 14 points, respectively. Against Trone, Hogan would win with 49 percent support from Marylanders, while Trone only received 37 percent backing. Alsobrooks had an even worse showing with only 36 percent support compared to Hogan's 50 percent. The former Republican governor also has a higher favorability rating at 64 percent compared to Trone's 33 percent and Alsobrooks' 26 percent.

Hogan's competitiveness in the Democrat stronghold will prove to be a major opportunity for Republicans in the Senate. Hogan's campaign announcement last month emphasized his gubernatorial record with Hogan writing on X, "I am running for the United States Senate – not to serve one party – but to stand up to both parties, fight for Maryland, and fix our nation's broken politics. It's what I did as Maryland's governor, and it's exactly how I'll serve Maryland in the Senate. Let's get back to work."

Hogan, a moderate Republican, was first elected to the Maryland governorship in 2014, where he won a narrow victory, 51 percent to 47.3 percent, against Anthony Brown. Hogan went on to win reelection in 2018 handily, 55.4 percent to Ben Jealous' 43.5 percent.

"Fifty years ago, my father, Maryland Congressman Larry Hogan Sr. made a very tough decision. He became the first Republican to come out for the impeachment of President Nixon. He put aside party politics and his own personal considerations, and he stepped up to do the right thing for Maryland and the nation," the former governor said in his campaign launch video. "Today, Washington is completely broken because that kind of leadership, that kind of willingness to put country over party has become far too rare." 

"My fellow Marylanders, you know me. For eight years, we proved that the toxic politics that divide our nation need not divide our state. We overcame unprecedented challenges, cut taxes eight years in a row, balanced the budget, and created a record surplus. And we did it all by finding common ground for the common good," he continued. "The politicians in Washington seem to be more interested in arguing than actually getting anything done for the people they represent. Enough is enough. We can do so much better, but not if we keep electing the same kind of typical partisan politicians." 

With Republicans guaranteed to pick up the senate seat in West Virginia and have a competitive fight in Montana, Ohio, Arizona, and Pennsylvania, the potential for Maryland to be thrown in the mix will make the Republican Party's chances of flipping the Senate in November even more likely. Democrats were already on the backfoot in Senate races across the country, but the poll from the University of Maryland makes Hogan's chances of winning the November election seem likely.

Watch Hogan's campaign announcement below:
 

I am running for the United States Senate – not to serve one party – but to stand up to both parties, fight for Maryland, and fix our nation's broken politics. It’s what I did as Maryland’s governor, and it’s exactly how I'll serve Maryland in the Senate. Let’s get back to work. pic.twitter.com/d0TuZchAtN

— Governor Larry Hogan (@GovLarryHogan) February 9, 2024

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