Why is the Governor excited to be endorsed by Forward?

I am honored to receive the endorsement of the Forward Party at a time when their mission to reduce partisan polarization and put power back in the hands of American voters is more important than ever. That has been my mission for a decade in Maryland. The political drama, divisiveness and dysfunction in D.C. are out of control–and it’s holding Congress back from any progress on the real issues affecting American families. We desperately need leaders willing to stand up to both parties; Forward and I share this philosophy. As former National Co-Chair of No Labels and founder of Maryland’s largest nonpartisan grassroots citizen organization, I’ve spent a lot of my life advocating for strong, independent leadership—that’s exactly what I’ll continue to do as Maryland’s next United States Senator.

Why is the Governor running and what does he hope to accomplish?

Politics as usual is failing the American people, and I’m sick and tired of it. My race is not just about the differences between the right and the left; this is about the difference between RIGHT and WRONG. This isn’t just your typical fight between Democrats and Republicans. This is a fight for Maryland and America’s future, and that is a fight worth fighting. I’m running for the U.S. Senate not to serve one party, but to try to be part of the solution, and defeat the divisiveness and dysfunction plaguing Washington today. 

What makes America the greatest nation on earth and a shining city on a hill is that each and every one of us can always be part of making it better. I’m not just going to sit back and watch extreme voices on the right and the left destroy our country—I’m going to do something about it, with your help. 

Meet Larry Hogan, United States Senate

Policy objectives:

First, I will work to make life more affordable for Americans. The entire reason why I ran for governor in the first place was to fight for hard working Marylanders, mom and pop small businesses, and retirees who were just struggling to get by. For eight years, we fought every single day to make life more affordable and delivered on that mission.  We eliminated 350 fees, cut tolls for the first time in 50 years, and cut taxes by $4.7 billion, including the Retirement Tax Elimination Act of 2022. We turned a $5.1 billion deficit into a record $5.5 billion surplus, reduced health insurance premiums by 30%, and helped Marylanders afford their first home and college tuition. I have released a five-point plan to make life more affordable. In the Senate, I’ll reach across the aisle and work together to find nonpartisan solutions to make life more affordable for Americans, just like I did for eight years in Annapolis. 

Second, I will work to make our communities safer through a common sense and all of the above approach. We have to be tough on crime and tough on the causes of crime. Just like I did for eight years as governor, we will support law enforcement, hold criminals accountable, and get guns out of the hands of violent criminals and the mentally ill, while advancing the long-term reforms to ensure every Marylander has access to a world-class education, good paying jobs, and economic opportunity.

Finally, and most importantly, I will work every single day to fix our broken political system. Most Americans are thoroughly convinced that we are hopelessly divided, that our political system is fundamentally broken and that Washington is completely dysfunctional. The loudest, angriest voices crowd out the exhausted majority.. I’m running for the U.S. Senate not to serve one party, but instead I’m trying to bring some straight-talking, common-sense leadership to clean up this mess and put Washington to work and deliver for the American people–just like I did in Maryland for eight years. That means reforms to our political system to open up the process like ending partisan gerrymandering and open primaries, but it also means governing through civility and compromise. 

Prospectus

Budget

Donate

Friends of Forward ($1-$500)

Francis Scott Key Club ($500-$1000)

• Admission to Annual Appreciation Event
• Social media appreciation (optional)

• Friends of Forward perks
• Maryland Forward Party Tie or Tote Bag

Edgar Allan Poe League ($1000-$5000)

Thurgood Marshall Society ($5000 +)

• Francis Scott Key Club perks
• Maryland Forward Party polo or T-Shirt
• Invitation to Regular Board meetings

• Edgar Allan Poe League perks
• Personalize Maryland Forward Bomber Jacket
• Introduction to National Leadership Team

Meet James Kole, Laurel City Council, Ward 1

• * The approval rating of the US congress is at 20%, yet 94% of incumbents win re-election.
• * An incumbent candidate only has to please the 10-12% of their party that actually vote in the primary.
• * In most states, which party is going to win the general election is already set before the party primaries start.
• * The 10-12% of the party members who vote in the primaries tend to be very ideological.
• * 75% of us live under one party rule.
• * Win the primary, win the general.
• * and much more........

      Watch the video here

“There is nothing which I dread so much as a division of the republic into two great parties, each arranged under its leader, and concerting measures in opposition to each other. This, in my humble apprehension, is to be dreaded as the greatest political evil under our Constitution.”

― John Adams, The Works Of John Adams, Second President Of The United States, letter to Jonathan Jackson, 2 October, 1780

Maryland Forward believes John Adams was exactly correct and we think that the tribalism we see today is a direct correlation. We believe that through Ranked Choice Voting and Non-partisan primaries we can restore choice and compromise to our State and our Union.

Most people believe that our political system is a public institution with high-minded principles and impartial rules derived from the Constitution. In reality, it has become a private industry dominated by a textbook duopoly - the Democrats and the Republicans - and plagued and perverted by unhealthy competition between the players. Tragically, it has therefore become incapable of delivering solutions to America's key economic and social challenges. In fact, there's virtually no connection between our political leaders solving problems and getting reelected. 

Katherine M. Gehl explains today's political system in this Ted Talk.  Get the book here

Maryland Forward couldn't agree more and we think that we need to end the tribalism of the duopoly by instituting ranked-choice voting and non-partisan primaries. Taken together, these two reforms will:

• 1. Allow voters to vote their conscience and still have their vote count if their first choice doesn't get enough votes to continue,
• 2. By putting all the candidates in the same pool and eliminating party identification of voters we can bring independents into the primary system, dilute extremist primary voters, and elect more rational, moderate candidates.