Annapolis, MD – Last week, while he was celebrating with his wealthy donors at the Republican Governors Association, Governor Larry Hogan told the New York Times that it’s a “pretty safe” bet that he would keep President Donald Trump away from the campaign trail when he runs for reelection in 2018. Hogan might be hiding from Trump, but he can’t hide from the fact that he has failed to keep President Trump’s policies out of Maryland.
“I wish Governor Hogan was as concerned about Donald Trump’s impact on working Marylanders as he is about Trump’s impact on his own reelection,” said Maryland Democratic Party Chair Kathleen Matthews. “Instead of running scared from President Trump, Governor Hogan must find the political courage to fight back against Trump’s attempts to kick Marylanders off their health insurance and jack up their taxes.”
Hogan himself endorsed Ed Gillespie’s hateful campaign for Virginia governor, and Scott Wagner’s Trump-lite campaign for Pennsylvania Governor. Just like Gillespie, Hogan has also used racist dog whistles on multiple occasions to shore up his political support.
Despite Marylanders begging him to join the fight to save the ACA, Hogan has refused to follow the lead of Republican governors like Brian Sandoval, John Kasich and Charlie Baker, who have been on the frontlines of the fight. As of today, 51 days after the Republican Congress allowed CHIP funding to lapse, Hogan still has not announced a plan to protect Maryland children. And unlike Governor Baker, who has opposed billionaire tax cut, Hogan has not lifted a finger to prevent Congress from raising taxes on hundreds of thousands of Maryland families.