Hundreds gathered at the Graduate by Hilton hotel in Annapolis on Tuesday for former Governor Larry Hogan’s election watch party, where the popular two-term Republican conceded defeat in his bid for the U.S. Senate. Hogan lost to Democrat Angela Alsobrooks.
The mood at the event was a mix of celebration and reflection. A few people wore the signature red attire the party is known for, adding a pop of color to the gathering.
In his concession speech, Hogan called for unity, decency, and bipartisanship in addressing the nation’s challenges.
“We got into this race for the right reasons: to fix broken politics and put the country on the right track,” Hogan said. “We ran a campaign driven by the people, not the party bosses, focused on the issues that matter to families across Maryland.”
Hogan also congratulated Alsobrooks on her victory. Alsobrooks will become the first Black woman to represent Maryland in the U.S. Senate.
“In our nation’s history, only three African American women have ever served in the U.S. Senate,” said Hogan. “Tonight, we can all take pride in the election of the first Black woman to represent Maryland in the U.S. Senate.”
Had he won, Hogan would have become the first Republican in 37 years to represent Maryland in the Senate. Charles Mathias Jr. was the last Republican to hold that seat, serving from 1969 to 1987.
Throughout the night, Hogan’s supporters spoke about why they backed the former governor.
“He’s going to stand up for all of us,” said Dendry Aguilar, a small business owner in Hyattsville. “He stood up to Trump, so I have no doubt he would do it again.”
“Business will be good,” said Juan Nance, another small business owner based in Baltimore. Nance sells solar panels and a sewing collective.
“He’s just a nice guy,” said Prince George’s County resident, Sia Finoh. She is a registered Democrat who ran for a county council seat in 2022. “He’s a uniter,” she added.
Hogan ran on a platform of putting country over party. The anti-Trump Republican was personally recruited by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to enter the race. Despite his loss, Republicans will control the Senate.
Correction: An earlier version misspelled Dendry. The article has been update with the correct spelling.
