Larry Hogan, Republicans’ Senate Majority Maker: GOP Leaders Triple Down on Support for Hogan

Welcome to Larry Hogan: Republicans’ Senate Majority Maker, a weekly update on the latest news on self-described “lifelong” Republican Larry Hogan. Hogan, who was recruited by Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell and vows to caucus with Republicans, could be the 51st seat Republicans need to win control of the U.S. Senate and push forward an agenda that’s out of step with Marylanders, including a nationwide abortion ban.

Here’s the latest:

• Republican megadonors are pouring money into Hogan’s campaign because they see him as key to winning the Senate majority. 
• BALTIMORE SUN: Hogan has received $10+ million from major Republican donor Kenneth Griffin, $10,000 from Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton’s  PAC, the Republican Majority Fund, maximum donations of $13,200 from Trump ally and GOP megadonor Steve Wynn and his wife; and maximum donations of $13,200 from Trump ally and GOP megadonor Stephen Schwarzman and his wife.
• National Republicans keep making it clear that they see Hogan as Republicans’ majority maker.
• PUNCHBOWL NEWS: McCONNELL CONTINUES TO BACK “BEST RECRUIT” LARRY HOGAN. In a new interview with Punchbowl News this week, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, who Bloomberg News reported previously called Hogan his “best recruit,” predicted Republicans “[a]re going to win” Senate control while citing Hogan as a “fabulous” candidate. 
• BALTIMORE SUN: REPUBLICAN SENATE CAMPAIGN CHIEF TOUTS HOGAN’S SENATE CAMPAIGN. The Baltimore Sun reports that Steve Daines, who heads the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) and wants to ban abortion nationwide, thinks Hogan “is running a great race” that will enable Republicans to regain control of the U.S. Senate.
• THUNE FUNDRAISES FOR HOGAN (AGAIN). Anti-abortion rights Senator John Thune, a candidate to succeed Mitch McConnell as Senate Republican Leader, headlined his second fundraiser for Hogan this week. The event took place roughly 12 hours before Hogan penned an op-ed in the Hill falsely claiming he wouldn’t “be beholden to the broken system.”
• Hogan allies blocked a bipartisan tax bill that would have provided relief to working families and small businesses, showing Marylanders their true agenda. 
• MSNBC: “SENATE GOP DERAILS COMPROMISE BILL THAT INCLUDED CHILD TAX CREDIT.” This week, Hogan allies in the Senate – including several bankrolling Hogan’s campaign for Senate – blocked bipartisan legislation to extend the child tax credit and support small businesses. Republicans are making it clear they don’t support tax cuts for working families.

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