Angela Alsobrooks vs Larry Hogan: Maryland senate race could swing balance of power

WASHINGTON - Maryland voters could decide which political party will lead the U.S. Senate for the next four years. 

The race between former Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, running on the Republican ticket, and current Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks, running on the Democratic ticket, has many eyes around the nation trained on the state. 

This unusually competitive race has already drawn in at least $84.6 million dollars in combined contributions, according to a Washington Post report from October. 

JUMP TO: LARRY HOGAN | ANGELA ALSOBROOKS | POLLS

Who is Larry Hogan? 

Former two-term Governor Larry Hogan, a Republican, is making a strong bid to flip the seat in Maryland. 

Here’s where Hogan stands on key issues:

Economy

Earlier in the campaign season, Hogan unveiled a five-point agenda outlining his economic plan – some of which draws comparison to his policies as governor. The plan includes increasing access to affordable housing and opposing policies that would increase the costs of food, energy and basic necessities.

On the tax front, Hogan vowed to take a pro-taxpayer stance. He’s in favor of the child tax credit and the earned-income tax credit.

In an interview with FOX 5, Hogan called out his opponent for receiving tax credits she was not qualified for.

"If you're talking about raising taxes for everyone else, and [Alsobrooks] wants to raise the Social Security tax, but she's taken advantage of a tax break that was supposed to go to poor seniors. And she's not poor or a senior," said Hogan. "She's the chief tax collector and didn't pay her own taxes." 

Health Care

Medicare and lowering prescription drug prices has been a policy focus for Hogan.

"As governor, I was proud to reduce health care premiums by 30%, and in the Senate, I’ll continue working to bring down the cost of healthcare for Maryland families," said Hogan while on the campaign trail.

According to Hogan’s campaign, he plans to initiate an investigation into the Federal Trade Commission to look into potential abusive pricing schemes.

Reproductive Rights

This fall, voters in Maryland are among several states set to vote on an abortion referendum – a growing issue following the Supreme Court's 2022 reversal of Roe v. Wade.

When it comes to abortion, Hogan has said he is pro-choice. In an interview with FOX 5, Hogan said he would sponsor a bill to codify Roe v. Wade. 

"I've said not only would I vote that way, but that I will sponsor a bill on the first day, sponsor a bill to codify Roe, sponsor a bill to protect IVF. When I ran for governor, I promised that I would protect access to abortion, and I kept that promise for eight years, where we funded abortion every single year for eight years. We had no efforts whatsoever to change any abortion laws in Maryland," said Hogan. "I kept my word for eight years as governor. I'll do the same thing in the Senate."

However, Democrats have pointed to previous policies implemented by Hogan suggesting he would not support access to abortions. During his tenure as governor, Hogan vetoed legislation requiring insurance plans to cover abortions. Hogan also withheld funding allocated to train abortion providers.

Immigration

Hogan has stressed his intention to work with federal lawmakers to address the escalating issues related to migrants and the southern border. During a visit to the southern border earlier this year, Hogan reported meeting with local and federal leaders to gain a clearer understanding of the situation and to identify further steps to ensure safety for all parties involved. He stated that managing the large number of people crossing the border is his primary focus.

In an effort to secure the border, Hogan supports the construction of physical barriers, such as walls and fences, as well as increasing border personnel and enhancing technological resources.

When it comes to immigration policy in Maryland, Hogan is critical of Prince George’s County’s policy of non-cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) — a practice implemented by his opponent Alsobrooks. Hogan argues that it protects legal immigrants who have committed violent crimes from federal law enforcement.

Foreign Policy

Speaking at a recent conference for the Jewish Institute for National Security of America, Hogan stood behind Israel.

"The way to solve this humanitarian crisis and to achieve a ceasefire is for Iran and their proxies to stop firing on Israel. Hamas needs to release every single one of the hostages, the Israelis and the Americans and then Hamas leaders should surrender and be held accountable for their horrific crimes of October 7," said Hogan.

Who is Angela Alsobrooks? 

Alsobrooks has a background in public service, having served as Prince George’s County State’s Attorney for eight years before being elected County Executive twice. Now, she's aiming to transition from her current role, with two years remaining in her term, to run in the Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate. 

If elected, Alsobrooks would become Maryland's first Black U.S. Senator and one of  only a few Black women to serve in Congress.

Her run hasn’t been without some hiccups along the way. 

Alsobrooks’ campaign office in Montgomery County was burglarized in April. A staffer’s desk had been rummaged through, a notebook containing sensitive campaign information was opened and t-shirts that said Angela Alsobrooks were thrown into the trash.  A campaign staffer's items were stolen, including a guitar. 

"You'd never expect that something like this will happen, and I feel horrible that our campaign team came in, that someone's property was stolen and things were just disheveled and they threw our campaign materials in the trash. I mean, it's pretty disconcerting," said Alsobrooks in an exclusive interview with FOX 5's Shomari Stone. 

In October, Alsobrooks was hit with a bill for $47,580 after it was discovered she received property tax credits she wasn’t qualified for in both D.C. and Maryland. She received a Maryland homestead tax exemption, which is supposed to apply only to someone’s primary residence, as well as a senior citizens’ tax break on her Washington, D.C. property. 

A senior adviser to Alsobrooks said in a statement, "As soon as Angela was made aware of these tax credits, she took immediate action and is working to pay it back in full." 

Here is where Alsobrooks stands on key issues:

Economy

Alsobrooks opposes Trump-era tax cuts, pushing to prioritize helping families. During Maryland’s primary election in May, Alsobrooks said "we look at these large corporations who, frankly, are not always paying their fair share. The corporate tax rate is one that former President Donald Trump adjusted to benefit corporations. I'd be in favor of raising the corporate tax rate so that all of us are paying our fair share."

While Alsobrooks has been critical of tax-cuts, she’s also faced her own scrutiny. The County Executive was found to have improperly saved thousands of dollars in D.C. property tax credits meant for lower income and senior residents. Her campaign claims the tax errors were not intentional. Her attorneys are working with local officials to resolve the issue.

Health Care

Alsobrooks aims to broaden Medicaid to achieve universal health coverage. She advocated for the federal government to extend the Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act – which ten states have chosen not to implement. 

Medicare has also been a policy focus for Alsobrooks. According to her campaign website, Alsobrooks wants to "pass a Medicare buy-in option and apply ACA subsidies to the plan to ensure all Americans have access regardless of their income. Medicare buy-in balances the critical need to cover all Americans while driving down costs of private insurance and ensuring those who enjoy their current insurance plans can continue to do so."

Reproductive Rights

Following the Supreme Court's 2022 reversal of Roe v. Wade, Democratic candidates have been highlighting reproductive rights, emphasizing the critical nature of the issue. 

When it comes to the issue of abortion, Alsobrooks has said she will co-sponsor the Women’s Health Protection Act. The legislation prohibits states from setting restrictions on abortion.

Alsobrooks has also said she will oppose any judicial nominee who does not support abortion rights.

"This race is about defeating Donald Trump. It is about, in so doing, making sure that we are protecting our reproductive freedoms. It is about making sure that we have sensible gun laws that protect our children from gun violence. It's about protecting voting rights. It's about building an economy that works for all of our children," said Alsobrooks. "This race is also about preserving the 51st vote. That's why the Senate race is likewise so important to make sure that we are confirming Supreme Court justices who respect our freedoms, unlike these conservative judges."

Immigration

In Maryland, immigration has been at the center stage following recent controversy in Harford County. Alsobrooks has pledged to support immigration reform. Her website says that she hopes to create a "pathway to citizenship for those already living and working in the United States."

As County Executive, Alsobrooks implemented a policy for how Prince George's County engages with federal immigration officials. She mandated that the county's Department of Corrections notify ICE only when an undocumented immigrant was arrested for gang-related or violent crimes, arguing that minor infractions like speeding should not lead to deportation.

Additionally, Alsobrooks opted against entering into a 287(g) agreement with ICE, asserting that local law enforcement should not be responsible for immigration Enforcement. 

Foreign Policy

Alsobrooks has condemned the October 7 attack by Hamas on Israel and advocated for a ceasefire. According to Alsobrooks’ campaign, if elected to the senate, she intends to work with allies to promote a two-state solution for both Israelis and Palestinians. The general election will be held on Tuesday, November 5, 2024.

Guns

Alsobrooks has said that as senator, she would ban assault weapons. 

"I started my career as a domestic violence prosecutor in 1997 because I believed then what I believe today, which is that everybody should feel safe and actually be safe in the communities where they serve. When I was the state's attorney, I oversaw a 50% cut in violent crime. I've continued to work to keep our families safe. I've funded our police operations and public safety operations," said Alsobrooks in an interview with FOX 5.  "Gun violence is the number one killer of children in America, not just in Prince George's County in America. Not car accidents, not illness, gun violence, which is why, as a senator, I'm going to work to do what Larry Hogan hasn't done, which is to work to remove from our communities assault weapons."

Who is leading in the latest polls? 

Alsobrooks has been leading Hogan in the polls in the last few weeks. 

In a mid-October poll, Alsobrooks led Hogan 12 percentage points among likely voters in a study from the Washington Post and University of Maryland. That’s up 1 percentage point compared to last month’s Post-UMD poll. 

"Given the ad volume over the last few weeks, I'm somewhat surprised that the overall margin is about the same," CDCE Director and government and politics Professor Michael Hanmer said. "Of course, there is still a lot of time between now and the election, so things could certainly change."