Former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan made a final push for the Senate by asking residents of the deep-blue state to split their votes in the coming election.
The latest 30-second campaign spot from Hogan recognizes that while most of Maryland will vote for Vice President Kamala Harris, they should vote Republican for Senate and put the popular two-term former governor back in elected office.
Hogan is running against Democrat Angela Alsobrooks for the seat vacated by outgoing Democrat Ben Cardin.
"As a Democrat for president, I know who I'm voting for. That's easy. But Senate: Alsobrooks or Hogan?" a woman identified as a Harris voter out of Rockville Maryland says in the ad. "They're both pro-choice. Hogan cut taxes, tolls, and fees in Maryland. I liked Hogan. He works with both parties. He finds common-sense solutions. Alsobrooks would support her party 100% of the time, even their most extreme positions.
"This isn't complicated. I'm splitting my ticket. Harris and Hogan," the woman concludes.
Hogan has carved out a niche in the Democrat stronghold of Maryland by having run the state through the COVID-19 pandemic and being an outspoken critic of former President Donald Trump.
The Maryland Democratic Party has dismissed Hogan's claims of being a maverick, saying, "Hogan's talk about bipartisanship is nothing but empty rhetoric."
According to a recent poll by The Economist, Republicans have a 70% chance of regaining control of the Senate in November. Despite the optimism enjoyed by some of his Republican colleagues, Hogan has a tough climb, with the latest polling showing Alsobrooks with a lead of 14 percentage points (54% to 40%) among likely voters.