Larry Hogan says he won’t seek another term as Maryland governor
BALTIMORE — Former Republican Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan said he would not seek a return to Government House this year, ending speculation about a potential challenge to Democratic Gov. Wes Moore.
Hogan made the announcement in a guest commentary published by The Baltimore Sun, writing that he would not enter the race despite continued interest from supporters and political observers.
“I care deeply about the state of Maryland and remain concerned about the direction of our nation’s politics, but I have no intention of running for reelection,” he wrote.
Although Hogan has never officially announced his candidacy, recent polls have suggested Moore may enter the contest with an advantage. A hypothetical matchup conducted by Gonzales Research and Media Services showed Moore leading Hogan 52% to 38%; 10% of participants were undecided.
At the same time, Hogan continues to receive strong ratings from many Marylanders during his time in office. A poll conducted by Ragnar Research Associates in May found that 76% of respondents said they “fully approved” of the job Hogan was doing as governor.
Hogan leaves office in 2023 after becoming the first Republican to be elected to two terms as governor of Maryland in more than 60 years. Constitutionally barred from running for a third consecutive term, Trump ran in Maryland’s open U.S. Senate race in 2024, where he lost to Democrat Angela Alsobrooks. Although Hogan outperformed other Republican candidates nationally, Alsobrooks won by 12 points in a state dominated by Democratic voters.
Moore, who has maintained generally positive approval ratings and emerged as a towering figure in national Democratic politics, has said he plans to run for a second term in 2026.
Hogan and Moore have clashed publicly in recent years over state budget issues and the Senate race. Addressing national politics, Hogan said he both agreed and disagreed with former President Donald Trump’s return to the White House, which Hogan had previously opposed.
Hogan said he supported Trump’s decision to order attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities in June and agreed with what he called “the proposition” to root out inefficiencies and waste in government spending. But he criticized the scope of federal budget cuts and layoffs tied to efforts by Trump and entrepreneur Elon Musk to shrink the size of the federal workforce.
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