Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican, on Thursday told conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt in an interview that he’s listening to arguments for him to run for Senate once his term as governor ends in 2022.
Hogan initially cast doubts on the possibility of running, saying in the interview: ”I don’t know that I’ll be running for anything. But I can’t imagine something that some employee’s former activities in his former job would have any bearing on me.”
He added: ”I’ve been saying for a long time that I don’t have a lot of interest in the Senate. It’s just not the kind of job for me. I’m more of an executive. I’m running a $50 billion-a-year budget with 60,000 employees and making decisions every day.
“And you know, I’ve spent my whole life as a business executive. And being one of 100 people yelling and arguing in Washington and getting nothing done doesn’t have a great appeal to me.”
But when asked about the potential strength of a group that includes ”a center-right Republican” and Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, along with Maine Sens. Angus King (I) and Susan Collins (R), Hogan noted that ”a lot of people are making that argument to me,” and when asked if he listens to those people, said, ”I don’t throw them out of the office, I guess.”
When Hewitt added that he thinks Hogan should run for Senate, the governor said: ”I think you and [Senate Minority Leader] Mitch McConnell, [R-Ky.,] and [Florida Republican Sen.] Rick Scott and a bunch of others would probably agree with that. And you know, look, as I said, we’ve got a long time to figure that out.
“Right now, I really am, this is not, it sounds trite, but I’m really focused on my day job. And I’ve got an important job here running the state of Maryland. And I don’t like it when people focus on their next job rather than doing the one they were elected to do.”
