{"id":2333478,"date":"2024-08-29T12:31:01","date_gmt":"2024-08-29T16:31:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/david-axelrod-awestruck-over-hogans-performance-in-deep-blue-maryland-defying-gravity-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2024-08-29T12:34:41","modified_gmt":"2024-08-29T16:34:41","slug":"david-axelrod-awestruck-over-hogans-performance-in-deep-blue-maryland-defying-gravity-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/david-axelrod-awestruck-over-hogans-performance-in-deep-blue-maryland-defying-gravity-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"David Axelrod awestruck over Hogan\u2019s performance in deep blue Maryland: \u2018Defying gravity\u2019 &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">30<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fdavid-axelrod-awestruck-over-hogans-performance-in-deep-blue-maryland-defying-gravity-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2333478&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>David Axelrod, a former adviser to President Obama, commented on the surprising competitiveness of former Maryland Governor Larry Hogan&#8217;s campaign for \u200dthe \u200dU.S. Senate.\u2063 Hogan is running against Prince George\u2019s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks to \u200bsucceed retiring Senator Ben Cardin, a \u200dDemocrat. Despite Maryland being\u2064 a traditionally Democratic\u2062 state, a\u200b recent AARP poll indicates\u2063 that \u2063Hogan and Alsobrooks are tied at 46% each, which has astonished political\u2063 observers, including Axelrod. He\u200b highlighted\u2062 Hogan&#8217;s \u200dpopularity, noting that he\u200b is\u2063 in \u2063a dead heat despite President Kamala Harris having \u2063a significant lead over Donald Trump in Maryland.<\/p>\n<p>Hogan, who left office in 2023 with a \u2064notable 77% approval rating, acknowledged being the underdog but expressed enthusiasm about the\u2062 campaign&#8217;s \u200cmomentum, emphasizing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-picks-sarah-bloom-raskin-lisa-cook-philip-jefferson-for-federal-reserve-positions\/\" title=\"Biden Picks Sarah Bloom Raskin, Lisa Cook, Philip Jefferson For Federal Reserve Positions\">independent leadership<\/a> in his message. Alsobrooks, recognizing the tight race, appealed \u200dto her supporters to rally around her\u200c campaign.\u200d The \u200cpolitical \u200dlandscape \u2064is particularly crucial as the Senate \u2063remains closely divided, with Hogan&#8217;s potential \u200cwin possibly shifting the balance.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">David Axelrod awestruck over Hogan&rsquo;s performance in deep blue Maryland: &lsquo;Defying gravity&rsquo;<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1669325\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>Ex-Obama adviser <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/david-axelrod\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>David Axelrod<\/a> expressed shock that former Maryland Gov. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/author\/gov-larry-hogan\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Larry Hogan<\/a> is shattering expectations in his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ill-city-to-vote-on-400k-reparations-for-black-residents\/\" title=\"Ill. city to vote on 0K reparations for black residents\">senate battle<\/a> against a Democratic official.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>Hogan is a popular Maryland Republican who served as the state&rsquo;s governor for two terms. After leaving office in 2023, he threw himself into a challenge against Prince George&rsquo;s County Executive <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/angela-alsobrooks\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Angela Alsobrooks<\/a> to replace retiring Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD). <\/p>\n<p>Axelrod, a top Democratic strategist who served as counselor to former President Barack Obama, took to social media on Wednesday to weigh in on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/dems-pick-hospitalized-fetterman-in-crucial-pennsylvania-race\/\" title=\"Dems Pick Hospitalized Fetterman In Crucial Pennsylvania Race\">closely-watched senate race<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s testimony to fmr&nbsp;@GovLarryHogan&rsquo;s popularity in MD that he&rsquo;s in a tie race for the U.S. Senate, according to a new Anzalone and Fabrizio poll, while @KamalaHarris is beating Trump by 32 points,&rdquo; Axelrod admired in a <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/davidaxelrod\/status\/1828896408910397647\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>post<\/a> to X.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Hogan poses with children and the Baltimore Orioles mascot before a baseball game between the Orioles and the Boston Red Sox, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2015, in Baltimore. (AP Photo\/Patrick Semansky)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>A new <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aarp.org\/pri\/topics\/voter-research\/politics\/maryland-older-voter-survey-2024\/?CMP=RDRCT-PRI-POLT\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>survey<\/a> from AARP put the pair in a dead heat, polling at 46% each. Cardin secured a landslide Democratic victory in his last election, winning by nearly 35 points. This year&rsquo;s razor-thin race between Hogan and Cardin&rsquo;s deemed successor, Alsobrooks, has come as a surprise to political pundits such as Axelrod.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Hogan <a href=\"https:\/\/larryhogan.com\/hogan-for-maryland-statement-on-bipartisan-aarp-poll-2\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>reacted<\/a> to the bi-partisan AARP poll earlier this week, admitting that &ldquo;we are the underdogs&rdquo; while hailing the &ldquo;120,000 voters&rdquo; the campaign has contacted.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The palpable enthusiasm of Maryland voters for independent leadership has given our campaign real momentum, and the chance to defy the odds,&rdquo; he said in a statement.<\/p>\n<p>The Senate stands closely divided as Democrats hold a slim two-seat majority.&nbsp; Hogan&rsquo;s gains have captured heavy scrutiny as he closes the gap with Alsobrooks and inching closer to gaining a critical seat in the upper chamber.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">It&#8217;s testimony to fmr <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/GovLarryHogan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@GovLarryHogan<\/a>&#8216;s popularity in MD that he&#8217;s in a tie race for the U.S. Senate, according to a new Anzalone and Fabrizio poll, while <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/KamalaHarris?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@KamalaHarris<\/a> is beating Trump by 32 points.<br \/>I&#8217;d still bet on the Dem, Angela Alsobrooks, but Hogan, an R, is currently&hellip;<\/p>\n<p>&mdash; David Axelrod (@davidaxelrod) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/davidaxelrod\/status\/1828896408910397647?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August 28, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script> <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;d still bet on the Dem, Angela Alsobrooks,&rdquo; Axelrod commented, &ldquo;but Hogan, an R, is currently defying gravity.&rdquo;&nbsp;Hogan was known as one of the state&rsquo;s most <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/poll-republicans-like-their-governors-democrats-dont\/\" title=\"Poll: Republicans Like Their Governors. Democrats Don\u2019t.\">popular governors<\/a> during his two terms as chief executive, leaving office with a stunning <a href=\"https:\/\/marylandmatters.org\/2023\/01\/17\/political-notes-hogan-rides-off-into-the-sunset-with-approval-ratings-intact-talmadge-branch-joins-lobbying-firm\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>77%<\/a> favorability rating. <\/p>\n<p>Alsobrooks responded to the poll by urging her supporters to coalesce around her campaign.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;We have always known that this race was going to be decided on the margins, and this new poll today confirms that,&rdquo; she said in a post to X on Tuesday. Alsobrooks was first elected Prince George&rsquo;s state&rsquo;s attorney in 2010, securing another term four years later. She was sworn in as the County Executive for Prince George&rsquo;s County, in December 2018.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">We have always known that this race was going to be decided on the margins, and this new poll today confirms that. <\/p>\n<p>Now more than ever, I need your help to keep Maryland blue and defend the Senate majority.<a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/zZctaxnhyc\">https:\/\/t.co\/zZctaxnhyc<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Angela Alsobrooks (@AlsobrooksForMD) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/AlsobrooksForMD\/status\/1828515046319681547?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August 27, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script> <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Maryland is a Democratic stronghold that hasn&rsquo;t seen a Republican senator since 1977. The last the state voted in a GOP presidential candidate was during the Reagan era. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/the-real-winner-of-last-nights-debate-was-gavin-newsom\/\" title=\"The Real Winner Of Last Night\u2019s Debate Was Gavin Newsom\">governor&#038;rsquo<\/a>;s race has been more evenly split, though Marylanders still prefer Democrats to occupy the state&rsquo;s gubernatorial seat.<\/p>\n<p>The <em>RealClearPolitics<\/em> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.realclearpolling.com\/polls\/senate\/general\/2024\/maryland\/hogan-vs-alsobrooks\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>average<\/a> of recent surveys gives Alsobrooks an advantage of six percentage points.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1669325\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1669325\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>David Axelrod, a former adviser to President Obama, expressed his astonishment at Larry Hogan&#8217;s unexpected success in the Senate race in predominantly Democratic Maryland. Hogan, a well-liked Republican who served two terms as governor, is challenging Prince George\u2019s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks for the seat being vacated by retiring Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD). Axelrod took to social media to comment on the surprising competitiveness of the race, noting that a recent Anzalone and Fabrizio poll shows Hogan tied with Alsobrooks at 46% each. This is particularly striking given that Cardin won his last election by nearly 35 points.<\/p>\n<p>Hogan acknowledged their underdog status but highlighted the enthusiasm from voters for independent leadership as a source of momentum for his campaign. The Senate currently has a narrow Democratic majority, making Hogan&#8217;s progress noteworthy as he seeks to secure an important seat.<\/p>\n<p>Despite acknowledging Hogan&#8217;s impressive standing in the polls, Axelrod indicated he would still bet on Alsobrooks winning. He remarked on Hogan\u2019s popularity during his governorship when he left office with an impressive 77% approval rating. In response to the poll results, Alsobrooks called on her supporters to rally around her campaign and emphasized that every vote would be crucial in this tight race.<\/p>\n<p>Maryland has historically leaned Democratic; it hasn&#8217;t elected a Republican senator since 1977 and last supported a GOP presidential candidate during Ronald Reagan&#8217;s era. While gubernatorial races have been more competitive, Democrats generally maintain an advantage in state elections. Recent polling averages show Alsobrooks leading by six percentage points over Hogan<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3142,"featured_media":2333479,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Larry-H.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[34750,5864,4837,7980,5894],"class_list":["post-2333478","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner","tag-david-axelrod","tag-hogan","tag-maryland","tag-performance","tag-politics"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Larry-H.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2333478","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3142"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2333478"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2333478\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2333479"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2333478"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2333478"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2333478"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}