Larry Hogan is Running for Senate

[Vespasia]

Inexplicably popular former MD governor Larry Hogan (R) is running for Cardin's Senate seat.  (Wording mine)


www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/former-maryland-gov-larry-hogan-announces-us-senate-run-rcna138108


I really, really hope he doesn't win and he's certainly more competitive than previous R Senate candidates here in MD. 

[minzy]

Huh, “Harry Logan” back at it again. Meanwhile David Trone has already been running for this seat for months (so many ads!). I guess we’ll see what happens.

[tacokick]

I really had hoped to never have to hear about him ever again.

[fortnightlily]

Ugh. I'm fine with Hogan trying to be a comparatively rational Republican voice in politics. We need them. But he needs to do so by replacing a position already held by a worse Republican, not by taking a seat from a Democrat. Especially in a place like the Senate where the partisan balance is so tenuous.

[wawa]

Feb 9, 2024 14:44:11 GMT -5 fortnightlily said:

Ugh. I'm fine with Hogan trying to be a comparatively rational Republican voice in politics. We need them. But he needs to do so by replacing a position already held by a worse Republican, not by taking a seat from a Democrat. Especially in a place like the Senate where the partisan balance is so tenuous.

So so many dittos.
I disagreed with so many things he did but he like...respects the constitution and our democracy. Which is SUCH A LOW BAR but that's where we are. He also kept his campaign promises to not fuck around with homophobic bullshitttery.

[Vespasia]

Yeah, he wasn't terrible for a Republican but he was still terrible. I will never forget nor forgive the way he shat all over Baltimore at every opportunity.

[wildrice]

Feb 9, 2024 14:49:05 GMT -5 wawa said:

Feb 9, 2024 14:44:11 GMT -5 fortnightlily said:

Ugh. I'm fine with Hogan trying to be a comparatively rational Republican voice in politics. We need them. But he needs to do so by replacing a position already held by a worse Republican, not by taking a seat from a Democrat. Especially in a place like the Senate where the partisan balance is so tenuous.

So so many dittos.
I disagreed with so many things he did but he like...respects the constitution and our democracy. Which is SUCH A LOW BAR but that's where we are. He also kept his campaign promises to not fuck around with homophobic bullshitttery.

Tritto. I could never actually support a Republican, but if we had to be stuck with one, he's one of the better options. I guess I am not totally surprised that he's running, but definitely nervous. Whether he's tolerable or not, we can't afford to lose a senate seat from any state!

[fortnightlily]

And like, does this mean now I have to decide whether to vote for Alsobrooks or Trone not based on who I like but who I think has a more solid chance of staving off Hogan?

[wawa]

Feb 9, 2024 16:05:46 GMT -5 wildrice said:

Feb 9, 2024 14:49:05 GMT -5 wawa said:

So so many dittos.
I disagreed with so many things he did but he like...respects the constitution and our democracy. Which is SUCH A LOW BAR but that's where we are. He also kept his campaign promises to not fuck around with homophobic bullshitttery.

Tritto. I could never actually support a Republican, but if we had to be stuck with one, he's one of the better options. I guess I am not totally surprised that he's running, but definitely nervous. Whether he's tolerable or not, we can't afford to lose a senate seat from any state!

I hate hate hate the idea of him in our Senate seat. Like....fuck all the way off. But at least he's not a lunatic. Just a garden variety rich racist Republican.

[basilosaurus]

Just like long ago I decided I wouldn't care about any details of president except for supreme court, for Congress,I care only now about numbers. Majority matters.

So is he a terrible republican of the lowest sort were used to seeing now? No. He's still republican, though.

Head to head is he worse than manchin? Not sure. Maybe, maybe not. But manchin contributes to simple numbers to secure majority even if that doesn't always amount to much.

It's even more important in the house because of the speaker situation, so I won't apologize for being so simplistic at this point.

Maybe right now I'm more angry at the semi reasonable (still bad) republicans for staying aligned with their shit party and not denouncing shitler.

Not that i want conservatives shitting all over basic rights in any position of power which they all would do. But at least I don't think they'd give away nuclear secrets in exchange for an overcooked steak with ketchup. Fucking low bar indeed

[Bernadine]

This makes me VERY nervous.

[Bernadine]

So is everyone voting for Trone or Alsobrooks? I’m undecided but leaning Alsobrooks.

[Vespasia]

Feb 10, 2024 23:04:45 GMT -5 Bernadine said:

So is everyone voting for Trone or Alsobrooks? I’m undecided but leaning Alsobrooks.

Probably Alsobrooks just because I am so very sick of Trone's face. I will do moore research when it gets closer but that's my main motivation at this moment.

[wawa]

Feb 10, 2024 23:04:45 GMT -5 Bernadine said:

So is everyone voting for Trone or Alsobrooks? I’m undecided but leaning Alsobrooks.

I'm alsobrooks but will finalize closer to.
It would take a lot for me to vote for an annoying rich white man over a black woman though, given that fundamentally their stances are similar.

[Bernadine]

Feb 11, 2024 12:14:23 GMT -5 wawa said:

Feb 10, 2024 23:04:45 GMT -5 Bernadine said:

So is everyone voting for Trone or Alsobrooks? I’m undecided but leaning Alsobrooks.

I'm alsobrooks but will finalize closer to.
It would take a lot for me to vote for an annoying rich white man over a black woman though, given that fundamentally their stances are similar.

I was thinking the same.

[msmerymac]

Who is that for? Like does he really want to caucus with the GOP in the senate? And if so, but his votes diverge from the party line, then fundamentally he’s not part of the party. Would the party support his bid (I know he can find it himself)? What would be the benefit of voting in a Republican who is at odds with the rest of his party instead of a Democrat?

[Bernadine]

Just saw this poll posted on Facebook. I was wondering how Trone vs. Alsobrooks was leaning.

[wawa]

Feb 13, 2024 14:29:54 GMT -5 msmerymac said:

Who is that for? Like does he really want to caucus with the GOP in the senate? And if so, but his votes diverge from the party line, then fundamentally he’s not part of the party. Would the party support his bid (I know he can find it himself)? What would be the benefit of voting in a Republican who is at odds with the rest of his party instead of a Democrat?

He appeals to all the older marylanders who I call "democrat buts" who think he's a good alternative to all these "super liberal" folks because he's a "good man" who "can see both sides". And since he doesn't personally crusade on an anti choice, misogynist, overtly racist, homophobic platform they feel like it's ok morally even if it would tip the balance of the Senate. And in a lot of ways he WOULD caucus with the R's. On gun control and gay rights and abortion access he just promised not to duck with it in MD, he didn't help at all. You're never going to get a really red R here, so he'd still be a huge win.