The GOP is urging Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan to jump into the 2022 Senate race after Republicans scored big in Virginia, reports Politico.
New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu and Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey are also on the Republican Party’s wish list of lawmakers who can potentially help whittle down the number of Democrats in the upper chamber, according to the news outlet.
The report comes two days after Republicans swept most races in Virginia: Financier Glenn Youngkin defeated Democrat Terry McAuliffe in Virginia’s gubernatorial race; Winsome Sears made history as the state’s first female lieutenant governor when she defeated Democrat Hala Ayala; and Jason Miyares made history as the state’s first Latino attorney general with a victory over Democrat incumbent Mark Herring.
Republicans also won at least 50 seats in the Virginia House, ensuring at least a tie with Democrats who had fought to retain control.
Hogan reportedly received a call from Senate leadership on the efforts, according to an aide of his who spoke with Politico.
"We have great candidates in our races," Sen. Rick Scott od Florida, the National Republican Senatorial Committee chair, told the news outlet. "I bet there’s more people that are going to want to get in because they can see there’s a path."
Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., the second-highest ranking Republican, said Thursday’s results confirm a path exists for "right of center conservatives" like Hogan, Ducey, and Sununu.
Hogan in early October said he wasn’t ruling out a Senate bid in 2022.
"We’ve got a long time to figure that out," he told conservative talk radio host Hugh Hewitt.
Hogan also told Hewitt that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, and Scott had also previously pitched him on the idea.
"I’ve been saying for a long time that I don’t have a lot of interest in the Senate," the governor told Hewitt. "It’s just not the kind of job for me. I’m more of an executive.
"I’m running a $50 billion-dollar-a-year budget with 60,000 employees and making decisions every day. And you know, I’ve spent my whole life as a business executive. And being one of 100 people yelling and arguing in Washington and getting nothing done doesn’t have a great appeal to me."