Angela Alsobrooks and Larry Hogan spar over abortion and party ties in Maryland Senate debate

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — In their first and only debate of an unusually competitive Maryland Senate race Thursday, Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks and former Gov. Larry Hogan sparred over the issue of abortion and whether the deep blue state would be best represented by a staunch Democrat or an anti-Donald Trump Republican.

Hogan distanced himself from the former president and current GOP presidential nominee, framing himself as someone willing to put “country over party.” He emphasized his support for codifying federal protections for abortion and argued that Maryland could push back against growing partisanship by electing “strong, independent leaders.”

Alsobrooks dismissed that frame, arguing that a vote for Hogan would mean a vote for a Senate Republican majority that would threaten abortion rights and support for Ukraine. And when she was asked where she differed from those within her party, she instead declared: “I support the Democratic agenda.”

The battle over abortion rights took center stage, echoing the rhetoric that has peppered the airwaves in campaign ads across the state. Throughout the debate, which was moderated by NBC News chief political analyst Chuck Todd and three panelists — Deborah Weiner, an anchor for NBC affiliate WBAL of Baltimore; NBC Washington investigative reporter Tracee Wilkins; and Maryland Public Television anchor Jeff Salkin — Hogan pledged that supporting a bill to codify abortion protections would be his “first” priority in the Senate and called the onslaught of attacks on the issue against him “insulting.”

“You’re going to hear nothing but red versus blue. I care a lot more about the red, white and blue,” Hogan said. “When I ran for governor, I promised to support women’s access to abortion, and I delivered on that promise for eight years.” 

But Alsobrooks said Marylanders need to look no further than the “R” listed next to Hogan’s name on the ballot.

“The problem he’s going to have is his party doesn’t agree with him,” she said. “The Republican Party has declared war on the reproductive freedoms of women, contraception, IVF. The fact of the matter is there will be no vote on Roe if he gives a majority to the Republicans.”

Hogan, a popular former two-term governor, has leaned on his history with the state’s voters in the race. He has run well ahead of the typical Republican in the state as he seeks to be the first Republican to represent Maryland in the Senate since the 1980s.

But Alsobrooks — backed by prominent Democrats in Maryland, like Gov. Wes Moore, and nationally, like former President Barack Obama — continues to lead in public polls in a race Democrats must win to have any chance of holding the Senate next year. She is also vying to become Maryland’s first Black senator.

National Democrats and Republicans have poured millions into the race in a place that typically doesn’t feature competitive statewide contests — Joe Biden carried Maryland by 33 percentage points in the 2020 presidential election.

In September alone, Alsobrooks’ campaign and her Democratic allies spent $13 million on campaign ads, according to the tracking firm AdImpact. In the same time frame, Hogan’s campaign and the GOP spent $8 million on ads.

In just the first 10 days of this month, Democrats have already spent $5.5 million on ads, while Republicans have spent over $8 million.

The two candidates broadly agreed that the Supreme Court has become too politicized. But Hogan, who openly criticized the timing of Justice Amy Coney Barrett’s confirmation process in 2020, dodged on whether he would have voted to confirm Barrett or Justice Brett Kavanaugh, another Trump appointee who was confirmed by just one vote.

“I wasn’t there, and I don’t know how I would have voted,” he said.

Alsobrooks, meanwhile, said she supports changes to the Supreme Court. “I’m very concerned about this Supreme Court. I think they no longer represent the will of the people,” she said, adding she supports “either” term limits for justices or expanding the court.

Hogan criticized Alsobrooks and “both sides” of the aisle for “trying to change the rules so they can pack the court.” 

“If you can’t find one person to cross over and vote for a Democratic judge or a Republican judge, I’m not going to support them,” Hogan said.

But Alsobrooks pointed to a speech Hogan gave in 2022 at a Republican Jewish Coalition meeting, where he praised Trump for nominating “incredible justices to the Supreme Court.”

During the speech in question, Hogan called for a “course correction” within his own party away from Trump, and made significant criticisms of his party’s standardbearer. But he also said that “we should give President Trump all the credit he deserves for his accomplishments in office,” including tax cuts, his support for Israel and the comment about his Supreme Court justices.

Addressing Alsobrooks’ criticism Thursday, Hogan said the praise came in light of the court’s decision that year to strike down restrictions on public funding for private religious schools, including Jewish schools.

“I thought that was an incredible decision, but I’ve called them out on all the bad decisions,” too, he said.

The winner will replace retiring Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin, a former chair of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, and will serve alongside Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen, who is also on that committee.

That dynamic was one reason foreign policy loomed large Thursday. On Israel, Alsobrooks was asked whether she would seek to emulate Cardin’s approach (Cardin presided over Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s summer address to Congress) or Van Hollen’s (he boycotted the address and criticized Netanyahu’s “ultraright extremist coalition”). She demurred.

“I’m neither. I’m Angela Alsobrooks,” she said, touting her support from both Democrats.

“We recognize a horrific attack that occurred in Israel on Oct. 7, and I believe that, in this moment, we have an obligation to make sure that we’re getting those hostages home to their families, and then we get to a cease-fire, making sure, as well, that we get aid into Gaza for the Palestinians who are suffering,” she said.

Alsobrooks went on to tout the need for “peace and security in Israel [and] peace, security and self-determination for the Palestinians in Gaza.”

Hogan replied by praising Cardin, saying he would “be more like a champion for Israel like Ben Cardin” and criticizing Alsobrooks’ answer for “trying to equivocate or do both side-isms.”

“At moments like this, people have to stand up and be counted, and we as a country have to stand with our allies, and Israel is our most important ally,” Hogan said.

“And I don’t think you can try to walk down the middle on this issue,” he added.

The candidates agreed that the U.S. should continue supporting Ukraine as it continues to fight back against Russia’s invasion.

Pressed about whether they would go as far as supporting Ukraine’s push to join NATO, Hogan said he would.

Alsobrooks wouldn’t commit, saying instead: “It’s a complicated question as to whether or not we should. I think it should be explored.”

Alsobrooks also addressed revelations that she claimed tax breaks she was not eligible for on a property in Washington, an issue that’s become part of the Republican attacks against her. The Democrat said it was an oversight that occurred after she took over paying her grandmother’s mortgage and didn’t realize the credit for seniors was still being applied.

“When I learned about it, I reached out to the D.C. government, and I have paid back the amount of that tax credit and am working to pay off the interest,” she said.

Asked about the issue, Hogan replied: “I don’t know that people should make a decision based on that. I just think she ought have the opportunity to explain herself.”