The Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) Lodge 35 in Montgomery County endorsed former Gov. Larry Hogan Monday in his bid to succeed U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin.
Lodge President Lee Holland praised Hogan’s years in Annapolis, citing his efforts to refund the police, create a budget surplus, and lower some taxes and fees.
Hogan, a Republican, is running against Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks, a Democrat, for a U.S. Senate seat.
During the news conference at the FOP offices in Gaithersburg, Hogan praised the police “who put their lives on the line every day.”
Although Hogan and Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich and the county council often disagreed when he was governor, Hogan mainly directed his criticisms at Alsobrooks and Prince George’s County. He claimed violent crime has been rising there since 2018 and that police officers were not receiving adequate support. He called Prince George’s a sanctuary county.
If elected to the U.S. Senate, Hogan said he would work to secure additional funding for the police, advocate for tougher judicial sentences, and push for greater judicial transparency.
He said the Maryland senate race was not so much between right and left politics, but more “about the difference between right and wrong.”
When asked why he wants to serve in such a divided Congress, Hogan said, “I’ve never been more concerned about the direction of my country,” adding that he believes he could restore decency.
He stated he would not vote for either Vice President Kamala Harris or former President Donald Trump, but was “happy to hear she [Harris] is considering governors for her vice president.”
He praised Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, who is said to be one of Harris’ top choices to run as vice president on the Democratic ticket. “He happens to have a lot of positions like me. He’s a moderate,” Hogan said of Shapiro.
In response to Hogan’s comments, Jackie Bush, Deputy Communications Director for the Alsobrooks campaign, issued this statement:
“Larry Hogan and Donald Trump are both attempting to use this false narrative against their respective opponents. Angela has never supported defunding the police. In fact, she’s increased the PGPD budget over 22% as CEX. Larry Hogan needs a reality check. It’s disappointing that he’s using the Mitch McConnell and Donald Trump playbook — distort, distract, and deceive at all costs to gain a Republican majority in the Senate.”
Today in Gaithersburg, I was honored to receive the official endorsement of Montgomery County FOP Lodge 35—adding to the overwhelming support we have received from law enforcement leaders and organizations across the state.
Today and everyday, I want to express our gratitude to… pic.twitter.com/zisSdA97ol
— Governor Larry Hogan (@GovLarryHogan) August 5, 2024
