Profile in Courage: Maryland Governor Larry Hogan

It certainly isn’t easy to be the Republican governor in a deeply Democratic state. Maryland is a bluer state than most, not only having a deeply “blue” city like Baltimore but also suburbs such as Montgomery County that serve as strongholds for the Democratic Party. Yet, astoundingly, Governor Larry Hogan remains popular even as he continues his push to make the state government small and more accountable. Hogan has fought tooth-and-nail against reckless spending programs, nonsensical taxes, and onerous rules that make little sense. And for fighting to make Annapolis (and the whole state) a better place while repeatedly reaching out across the aisle, Gov. Larry Hogan is truly a Profile in Courage.

From an early age, Hogan had an astute appreciation for Maryland politics. The governor-to-be was raised in Prince George’s County and his father (Lawrence J. Hogan, Sr.) proudly served the constituents of Maryland’s 5^th district in Congress. Once in Congress, plenty of lawmakers resign themselves to empty political posturing and cavorting with lobbyists. But not so with Rep. Hogan. The Governor’s Office recounts that, at the height of Watergate, “Congressman Hogan cast aside party politics and became the first Republican to vote for President Nixon’s impeachment, and the only Republican to vote for all three articles of impeachment. Gov. Hogan says he learned more about integrity from his father in that single moment than most people learn in a lifetime.” From that day forward, Gov. Hogan knew that politics was more than just protecting fellow politicians against public scrutiny and accountability.

Over the years, Hogan furthered his political education in the public sector via administrative roles in Prince George’s County and as Secretary of Appointments under Governor Bob Ehrlich from 2003 to 2007. He also flourished in the private sector, founding a leading land development firm in Maryland. But, Hogan knew he couldn’t stay away from politics for long when Annapolis politicians were regularly making life difficult for Marylanders.

Under the tenure of Gov. Martin O’Malley, Maryland directed ten of its largest jurisdictions to adopt “impervious surface fees” (aka the dreaded rain tax). The basic idea was that hard, non-porous surfaces (e.g., paved driveways) were enabling stormwater runoff into the polluted Chesapeake Bay. Hogan saw the tax for what it was, a prohibitively costly policy that diverted money from priorities like education and more effective and direct environmental remediation programs. He founded a non-profit organization called Change Maryland to call attention to the many problems of this and similarly misguided policies coming from Annapolis. Hogan suddenly found himself leading the charge for a better and more accountable state government, and channeled this knack into gubernatorial politics. He stunningly defeated Governor Malley’s Lieutenant Governor Anthony Brown in the 2014 Maryland gubernatorial election, showing the electoral limits of tax-and-spend policies even in deeply blue states.

From day one, Gov. Hogan worked tirelessly to get Maryland back on the right track. Just three months into his tenure, he signed into law a repeal of the “rain tax,” washing away the outrage that helped propel him into office. Hogan also held the line of spending reductions, leading to Maryland projecting a long-time structurally balanced budget in more than two decades. The road to fiscal responsibility has certainly been a bumpy one, and Gov. Hogan certainly hasn’t gotten everything that he’s wanted. Unfortunately, former University System of Maryland chancellor William Kirwan has led the charge for a $4 billion per year education spending boondoggle. There is little evidence that the proposed spending hikes will materially improve education for struggling students. But, as Hogan has repeatedly pointed out, the “Kirwan Plan” means at least a $10,000 tax hike for Maryland households. Hogan’s reservations fell largely on deaf ears, and the $30 billion proposal became law in 2021 without Hogan’s signature.

His (largely inevitable) defeats, however, shouldn’t take away from his significant successes that have made a real difference for Maryland families. Amid the recent, historic surge in gas prices, Hogan knew he had to do something to ease the pain at the pump for millions of Marylanders. He successfully pushed for a first-in-the-nation gas tax holiday that keeps the state from making matters worse. Dozens of red and blue states are quickly following suit.

Gov. Hogan has also championed (and made reality) a provision that drops degree requirement from some state jobs.  This will not only potentially save money, but will also open state jobs to folks that may not have qualified.  Dropping this requirement is a great way to get more people with varying backgrounds involved in state government.

Hogan is clearly a compelling leader not only capable of leading his own state, but also showing the way forward for governors and local officials across the country. And for being a source for clarity and bold leadership during these difficult times, Governor Larry Hogan is certainly a Profile in Courage.