Alsobrooks supports court packing as Hogan fights GOP, McConnell and Trump association

Prince George's County Executive Angela Alsobrooks and former Maryland Republican Governor Larry Hogan face off in a debate Thursday night. Senate elections in Maryland.

In a particularly notable response, Alsobrooks joined some of the Democratic Party's most progressive lawmakers in telling the moderator that he would support the Supreme Court.

“I agree with increasing the number of judges or increasing term limits, yes,” he said.

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Hogan mocked this in his response, criticizing both sides for “trying to change the rules so they can pack the court.”

“What I did was find the most qualified judges, regardless of what party they belonged to,” he said.

Adopting a similar tone to Sen. Joe Manchin, IW.Va., Hogan added: “If you can’t find one person to vote for a Democrat or Republican judge, I’m not going to support them.”

Manchin built a reputation for booing his party during his time as a Democrat.

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Former Maryland Governor and Republican U.S. Senate candidate Larry Hogan speaks to members of the media at the AstraZeneca facility on Monday, August 26, 2024, in Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA. (Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Democrats are the favorites to win the Maryland Senate seat, but given Hogan's popularity in the state and his distance from Republican party leaders, the margins appear too close for comfort.

Brooks also supported Democratic priorities such as making abortion access mandatory or repealing the legislative filibuster to relax voting requirements.

The county executive ventured several times Thursday that Hogan's election would give Republicans a majority in the Senate, regardless of whether he personally disagrees with them or votes differently. However, regardless of what happens in the Maryland race among the major political handicappers, Republicans are the favorites to win the Senate majority, with victories expected in West Virginia and Montana.

He also questioned why Hogan would run as a Republican and not as an independent if he disagrees on so many important issues.

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Angela Alsobrooks, Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate from Maryland, greets voters during the state's primary election day at Lewisdale Elementary School in Chillum, Tuesday, May 14, 2024. (via Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Getty Images)

But Hogan pushed back, explaining that he thinks Washington, D.C., needs lawmakers who will challenge their own party. He said: I defend my party. “I think we need dissidents in Washington who don’t do exactly what their party bosses tell them to do.”

“I’m not a Maga, Donald Trump, Mitch McConnell person,” Hogan insisted.

While the former governor has insisted he would support policies such as abortion rights and a negotiated border bill that Republicans oppose, Alsobrooks said such a bill would likely not get a vote in the Republican-controlled Senate.

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The Maryland Senate race is much tighter than in previous cycles. (via Aaron Schwartz/Middle East Images/AFP Getty Images)

The Senate majority leader significantly controls the agenda in the Upper Chamber.

In a Washington Post-University of Maryland poll late last month, Alsobrooks led Hogan. Between 51% and 40% A traditionally deep blue state.

The survey was carried out between September 19th and 23rd and included a sample of 1,012 registered voters. The margin of error is +/-3.5 percentage points.

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D Fox News Power Ratings The Maryland Senate race during the same period was rated “Lean Democratic.”

The Cook Political Report, the leading political pollster, calls the open seat in Maryland “likely Democratic.”

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