Annapolis, MD—Last night, after Governor Larry Hogan claimed in an interview that he comes from “the Ronald Reagan school of politics,” Chairwoman Dr. Maya Rockeymoore Cummings stated that “With this, Larry Hogan promises to be a dog whistle white nationalist instead of a Trumpian white nationalist. This is a cold comfort when what the world needs is love & Unity.”
In addition to policies that directly undermined Civil Rights, Ronald Reagan infamously used derogatory terms like “welfare queen” to play on racist imagery and stereotypes in order to draw support for his political platforms. There is a troubling parallel between Reagan and Hogan’s political rhetoric, as demonstrated by Hogan’s comments yesterday when he criticized the Democratic-controlled legislature, saying it “seems to be the most pro-criminal group of legislators I’ve ever seen.” Yet this is not new for Larry Hogan. From killing Baltimore’s Red Line to his war on public education, Hogan has channeled Reagan in both rhetoric and deed by his track record of public hostility toward underserved communities.
Hogan’s comments yesterday were insensitive and irresponsible, and like Reagan’s derogatory comments before him, will only exacerbate negative stereotypes, divide Marylanders, and contribute to a more toxic political culture. The Maryland Democratic Party is calling on Larry Hogan to apologize for his comments.