At this year’s 2022 midterm elections, Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollan’s (D) seat is up for grabs, but Governor Larry Hogan (R) has announced that he will not be running. 

During a normally scheduled press conference on Feb. 8, Hogan announced that he would not run for Senate in 2022. This comes as a blow to the GOP, who are hoping to flip the Senate to a Republican majority this fall, and Hogan, a popular Republican in an overwhelmingly Democratic state, was one of their best chances to do so. 

Many people urged Hogan to run, saying he would have been a voice of common sense and moderation. Humbled, Hogan considered the offer but stated, “As I have repeatedly said, I don’t aspire to be a United States Senator, and that fact has not changed over the past week.”

He went on to explain that while writing his State of the State address, it was made clear to him the importance of focusing on his position as governor. 

“When I pledged to the people of Maryland that I was going to give this job as governor everything I’ve got, every single day that I’ve had been given, I meant it.” Hogan said, “That commitment is far more important to me than any political campaign.” 

Although it’s refreshing to hear a politician state that they are focusing on the job at hand instead of starting another campaign, it still leaves many wondering what is next for Hogan after this term, as he can not run for governor again. 

One reporter even asked if Hogan was considering running for President in 2024, to which Hogan responded, “I really want to focus the next 11 or 12 months on finishing this job. In January of 2023, I’ll have plenty of time to think about what the future holds. I think the world is going to be a different place a year from now.”

Although it’s not clear what his next step will be, Hogan has assured the public that he will not sit on the sidelines when it comes to serious issues. 

“I’m going to continue to call it as I see it; I’ll keep speaking out about the divisiveness and dysfunction in Washington, and about fixing the broken politics,” Hogan said. “My current job as governor runs until Jan. of 2023. And then we’ll take a look and see what the future holds after that.”