Former Maryland Gov Larry Hogan announces Senate run

Larry Hogan, a popular former Republican governor of Maryland, has announced a run for the US Senate.

A prominent critic of Donald Trump, Mr Hogan stepped down from leading a third-party movement called No Labels last month.

He announced he was running in his home state in a video posted on X on Friday.

He said he was entering the race “not to serve one party – but to stand up to both parties, fight for Maryland, and fix our nation’s broken politics”.

“It’s what I did as Maryland’s governor, and it’s exactly how I’ll serve Maryland in the Senate,” he said.

Mr Hogan announced his bid just hours before the filing deadline in Maryland.

Mr Hogan is running for a seat currently held by Democratic Senator Ben Cardin, who has announced his retirement.

He is so far the only well-known Republican to enter the race.

Democratic Rep. David Trone and Prince George County executive Angela Alsobrooks are competing in the Democratic primary for the seat.

Republicans need to flip two seats to take control of the Senate if President Joe Biden wins his re-election campaign, but only one if their party retakes the White House.

Before leaving office with high approval ratings, Mr Hogan won two terms to serve as governor of Maryland – which has long shown preference for Democrats.

He was the first Republican governor in 64 years to win a second term, casting himself as a moderate at a time when the party lurched to the right.

Two years ago, Republicans had asked him to challenge Sen. Chris Van Hollen, a Democrat, but he turned down the suggestion.

Mr Hogan had been serving as co-chair of the third-party group, No Labels, which sparked speculation that he might run for president as a third-party candidate.

He endorsed Nikki Haley, however, who has fallen far behind Mr Trump in the race for the Republican presidential nominee.

In his video announcing his bid, Mr Hogan claimed Washington was “completely broken” because a “willingness to put country ahead of party is far too rare”.

“Like the exhausted majority of Marylanders, I’m completely fed up with politics as usual,” Mr Hogan said. “We can do so much better.”