Larry Hogan running for U.S. Senate seat in Maryland

Former Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican, is running for the U.S. Senate seat in Maryland that will be left vacant by Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin’s retirement, according to three sources familiar with his decision, complicating a race that Democrats were hoping to win easily. 

Maryland is a blue state, but Hogan was a popular governor, leaving office with approval ratings in the 70s. 

Politico first reported Hogan is running for Senate. Hogan, 67, served as governor from 2015 to 2023, battling and defeating cancer while he was in office. 

Hogan had been toying with the possibility of a presidential bid, saying he wouldn’t rule out the possibility of running as a third-party candidate. He has been one of the rare Republicans on the national stage willing to speak out against former President Donald Trump and emphasized that any presidential bid would be to help defeat him. Hogan has endorsed former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley for president.