Larry Hogan

Larry Hogan
Born	Lawrence Joseph Hogan Jr. 5/25/1956
Birthplace	Washington, D.C., U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician, businessman
Title	62nd Governor of Maryland
Known for	62nd Governor of Maryland
Education	Bachelor of Arts
Awards	Chair of the National Governors Association

Lawrence Joseph Hogan Jr. (born May 25, 1956) is an American politician and businessman who served as the 62nd governor of Maryland from 2015 to 2023. A member of the Republican Party, Hogan won the governorship in 2014 in what was considered an upset victory over Democrat Anthony Brown, and was reelected in 2018 by defeating Democrat Ben Jealous, becoming the first Republican governor of Maryland to win reelection since Theodore McKeldin in 1954. The son of former three-term U.S. Representative Lawrence Hogan, the younger Hogan built a career in real estate development before entering public life, serving as Maryland Secretary of Appointments under Governor Bob Ehrlich from 2003 to 2007. He left office in January 2023 as one of the most popular governors in the United States and was succeeded by Democrat Wes Moore. Hogan served as co-chair of the centrist organization No Labels from 2020 to 2023 and was initially viewed as a potential contender for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, though he declined to run and instead endorsed Nikki Haley. In 2024, he launched a campaign for the United States Senate in Maryland, seeking to succeed retiring Democratic Senator Ben Cardin, but was defeated in the general election by Prince George's County Executive Angela Alsobrooks. In January 2026, Hogan announced that he would not seek public office again, ending speculation about a potential gubernatorial challenge to Moore. As of 2026, Hogan and his lieutenant governor, Boyd Rutherford, are the last Republicans to have won or held statewide office in Maryland.

Early Life

Lawrence Joseph Hogan Jr. was born on May 25, 1956, in Washington, D.C. He is the son of Lawrence Hogan, a Republican politician who served three terms as a U.S. Representative from Maryland's 5th congressional district, and Nora Maguire Hogan. His father gained national prominence during the Watergate scandal as the first Republican on the House Judiciary Committee to call for the impeachment of President Richard Nixon. Hogan has a half-brother, Patrick N. Hogan.

Growing up in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, Hogan was immersed in politics from an early age through his father's career in Congress. The elder Hogan's political trajectory — and his willingness to break with his own party on principle — would later be cited as an influence on the younger Hogan's own approach to governance and his emphasis on bipartisanship and political independence.

Education

Hogan attended Florida State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. After completing his undergraduate education, he returned to the Maryland and Washington, D.C., area, where he would build careers in both business and politics.

Career

Early Political Campaigns

Hogan's first forays into electoral politics came through attempts to win his father's former congressional seat. In 1981, he campaigned unsuccessfully for Maryland's 5th congressional district. He ran again for the same seat in 1992, challenging incumbent Democrat Steny Hoyer. While Hogan ultimately lost the race, it was notable as the closest election Hoyer faced during his long tenure in Congress, demonstrating Hogan's competitiveness in a district that favored Democrats.

Business Career

Between and alongside his political endeavors, Hogan built a career in real estate. He founded the Hogan Companies, a real estate brokerage, development, and investment firm based in Maryland. The firm operated in the commercial and residential real estate sectors in the greater Washington–Baltimore area. His background in business and real estate would become central to his political identity, particularly during his gubernatorial campaigns, where he positioned himself as a fiscal manager and private-sector problem solver.

Maryland Secretary of Appointments

In 2003, following the election of Republican Bob Ehrlich as governor of Maryland, Hogan was appointed to serve as Maryland Secretary of Appointments. In this cabinet-level position, Hogan was responsible for overseeing the appointment process for boards, commissions, and other positions within state government. He served in the role from 2003 to 2007, gaining experience in the inner workings of Maryland state government that would prove valuable in his later gubernatorial campaigns.

Change Maryland and the 2014 Gubernatorial Campaign

In 2011, Hogan founded Change Maryland, a political organization focused on fiscal and economic policy issues in the state. The organization promoted limited government, lower taxes, and economic development, and served as a platform for Hogan to build a public profile and political network ahead of a potential gubernatorial bid.

Hogan launched his campaign for governor in 2014, running as a moderate Republican in a state where registered Democrats significantly outnumber Republicans. His campaign focused heavily on economic issues, particularly taxes, spending, and job creation. He positioned himself as a pragmatic businessman who would bring fiscal discipline to state government.

In the general election, Hogan faced Democrat Anthony Brown, who was then serving as lieutenant governor under Martin O'Malley. Despite Brown's advantages in a heavily Democratic state, Hogan won the election in what was considered a significant upset. His victory was attributed in part to voter dissatisfaction with the O'Malley administration's tax and spending policies, as well as to problems with Brown's campaign, including his role overseeing the troubled rollout of the state's health insurance exchange.

First Term as Governor (2015–2019)

Hogan took office as the 62nd Governor of Maryland on January 21, 2015, with Boyd Rutherford serving as lieutenant governor.

Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment

In June 2015, just months into his first term, Hogan announced that he had been diagnosed with B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma, an aggressive but treatable form of cancer. He described the diagnosis publicly and began an intensive course of chemotherapy. Despite undergoing treatment, Hogan continued to carry out his duties as governor. In October 2015, he announced that he had completed his cancer treatment. By November 2015, tests confirmed that Hogan was cancer-free. His public battle with cancer drew bipartisan sympathy and was widely seen as contributing to his sustained popularity.

Baltimore Unrest

In April 2015, following the death of Freddie Gray in police custody, civil unrest broke out in Baltimore. Hogan declared a state of emergency and activated the Maryland National Guard to assist in restoring order. The response to the Baltimore unrest became a defining early moment of Hogan's governorship, as he sought to balance law enforcement response with acknowledgment of the underlying issues facing the city. His administration also made investments in Baltimore's infrastructure and criminal justice system during this period.

Environmental and Transportation Policy

Hogan's environmental record drew both praise and criticism. He attended a conference on phosphorus management on the Delmarva Peninsula in February 2015, signaling attention to Chesapeake Bay restoration issues.

On transportation policy, Hogan's administration took positions that generated controversy with the Democratic-controlled state legislature. In December 2016, the administration outlined its opposition to certain transportation project mandates, characterizing legislative efforts to dictate project priorities as overreach. Debates over transportation funding and project prioritization, including legislation such as HB1013 during the 2016 legislative session, illustrated the tensions between the Republican governor and the Democratic legislature. The Maryland Senate voted on a transportation project rating bill in early 2017, further reflecting these ongoing policy disputes.

Reelection in 2018 and Second Term (2019–2023)

Hogan won reelection in 2018 by a comfortable margin, defeating Democratic nominee Ben Jealous, a former president of the NAACP. The victory was notable given that Maryland is one of the most reliably Democratic states in the country, and it made Hogan the first Republican governor of Maryland to win reelection since Theodore McKeldin in 1954. His success was attributed to his moderate governing style, high approval ratings, and the personal goodwill generated by his cancer recovery and his handling of various crises.

During his second term, Hogan continued to emphasize bipartisan governance and fiscal conservatism. He served as chair of the National Governors Association, succeeding Steve Bullock in the role and later being succeeded by Andrew Cuomo. In this capacity, Hogan represented the interests of the nation's governors on a range of policy issues.

Hogan was term-limited from seeking a third consecutive term in 2022. He notably declined to endorse the Republican gubernatorial nominee, Dan Cox, who had received the endorsement of former President Donald Trump. Hogan's refusal to support Cox reflected his broader positioning as an independent-minded Republican willing to break with his party's leadership.

No Labels Co-Chair

From 2020 to 2023, Hogan served as co-chair of No Labels, a centrist political organization that promotes bipartisan cooperation and moderate policy solutions. The role aligned with Hogan's reputation as a Republican willing to work across party lines and his criticism of political polarization.

2024 Presidential Speculation and Senate Campaign

After leaving office in January 2023, Hogan was frequently mentioned as a potential candidate for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. His high approval ratings, moderate profile, and willingness to criticize Donald Trump made him an attractive option for Republicans seeking an alternative to Trump. However, Hogan ultimately declined to enter the presidential race and instead endorsed Nikki Haley's candidacy.

On February 9, 2024, Hogan filed to run for the United States Senate seat being vacated by retiring Democratic Senator Ben Cardin. He won the Republican primary on May 14, 2024. In the general election on November 5, 2024, Hogan faced Prince George's County Executive Angela Alsobrooks, the Democratic nominee. Despite his personal popularity, Hogan was defeated by Alsobrooks, as the strongly Democratic electorate in Maryland proved too difficult to overcome in a presidential election year.

Post-Political Career

In January 2026, Hogan announced that he would not run for governor or any other public office again, ending speculation about a potential challenge to Governor Wes Moore in the 2026 election cycle. "I care deeply about the state of Maryland," Hogan stated in his announcement.

Following his departure from elected office, Hogan has pursued opportunities in the private sector and advisory roles. In February 2026, he was named to the advisory board of SecurityScorecard, a cybersecurity and risk management company.

Hogan has also remained active as a public commentator on political issues. In January 2026, he spoke at Dartmouth College about the importance of compromise and bipartisanship in American politics, stating that compromise is not "a dirty word." In February 2026, he publicly criticized Governor Wes Moore's position on immigration enforcement, stating that local law enforcement would "ignore" legislation related to cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Personal Life

Hogan's wife, Yumi Hogan, is a Korean-born American artist who became the first Korean American first lady of a U.S. state when Hogan took office in 2015. The couple's story and Yumi Hogan's prominence during the governorship drew attention to Korean American culture in Maryland.

Hogan's battle with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 2015 was a significant personal challenge during his first year in office. After undergoing intensive chemotherapy, he was declared cancer-free in November 2015.

His father, Lawrence Hogan, served in the U.S. House of Representatives and was noted for his role during the Watergate hearings. Hogan has frequently cited his father's example of political independence as formative in his own approach to governance.

Recognition

Hogan served as chair of the National Governors Association, a position of national prominence among the country's governors. He left office in January 2023 with approval ratings that placed him among the most popular governors in the United States, a distinction made more notable by his status as a Republican in a heavily Democratic state.

His successful management of his cancer diagnosis while in office, his response to the 2015 Baltimore unrest, and his two gubernatorial election victories in Maryland earned him a national profile that extended well beyond the state. Hogan's consistent willingness to break with the national Republican Party — particularly in his criticism of Donald Trump — positioned him as a prominent voice for moderate Republicanism.

In January 2026, Hogan was invited to speak at Dartmouth College about governance and bipartisanship, reflecting his continued prominence as a political figure and commentator even after leaving office.

Legacy

Larry Hogan's tenure as governor of Maryland is notable for several reasons. He was the first Republican to win reelection as governor of the state since Theodore McKeldin in 1954, and he maintained consistently high approval ratings throughout his eight years in office despite governing a state where Democrats hold a significant voter registration advantage. As of 2026, he and Boyd Rutherford remain the last Republicans to have won statewide office in Maryland.

Hogan's governing approach emphasized fiscal conservatism, infrastructure investment, and bipartisan cooperation. He frequently clashed with the Democratic-controlled Maryland General Assembly on issues including taxation, transportation policy, and spending priorities, but also found areas of agreement, particularly on economic development and environmental protection.

His refusal to endorse Donald Trump in either the 2016 or 2020 presidential elections, and his subsequent endorsement of Nikki Haley in the 2024 primary, positioned Hogan as one of the most prominent anti-Trump Republican elected officials in the country. This stance earned him both praise from moderates and independents and criticism from the more conservative wing of his party.

Hogan's 2024 Senate campaign, while ultimately unsuccessful, demonstrated the continued appeal of his moderate brand in a state that rarely elects Republicans to statewide office. His defeat by Angela Alsobrooks reflected the broader challenges facing Republican candidates in deep-blue states during presidential election years.

With his January 2026 announcement that he would not seek office again, Hogan signaled the end of a political career that spanned more than four decades, from his first congressional campaign in 1981 to his Senate loss in 2024. His post-political career has included advisory board positions in the private sector and continued public commentary on American governance and bipartisanship.