An internal poll shows Republican Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan with a big lead in a hypothetical 2022 Senate matchup with Democratic incumbent Chris Van Hollen.
Maryland will elect a new governor in 2022 as Hogan becomes term-limited out of office, and the popular governor has not yet announced his next move. An internal poll shared with the Daily Caller found that, if he chooses to run for Senate, Hogan would currently lead Van Hollen by a 49%-37% margin.
“Just under 80% of Black voters approve of Hogan’s job performance, while just over 71% of White voters approve…More than 72% of voters in the Baltimore metropolitan area say they approve of Hogan.”
https://t.co/Vus7ea2tW1— Larry Hogan (@LarryHogan) January 11, 2022
The internal poll had a sample size of 500 and was conducted from Nov. 29-Dec. 1. While a Senate run has not been ruled out by Hogan, others have speculated he will instead opt to run for president in 2024.
Hogan running in Maryland would give Republicans a realistic chance to capture a deep blue seat in what is shaping up to be a potential wave election. Maryland hasn’t had a Senator from the GOP since 1987, but Hogan successfully ran for governor in the state twice, winning re-election in 2018 by nearly 12 points in a state President Joe Biden won by 33%.
Former Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, the wife of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, met with Hogan’s wife recently to sell her on the idea of the governor running for Senate. (RELATED: Maryland Democrats Sued Over ‘Extreme’ Gerrymandering Of 2022 Congressional Maps)
The internal poll isn’t the only good one for Hogan to be conducted lately. A Gonzales poll conducted at the end of December measured his approval rating at 74%. He had the approval of 80% of black voters, and was above water with Republicans, Independents and Democrats.