Larry Hogan Bio
Lawrence Joseph Hogan Jr., known publicly as Larry Hogan, is an American politician and businessman who served as the 62nd governor of Maryland from 2015 to 2023. A member of the Republican Party, he is widely regarded as a moderate voice within his party and built his career around bipartisan cooperation on fiscal policy, infrastructure, and public health. Hogan is the son of former U.S. Representative Lawrence Hogan Sr., and he later expanded his political profile by chairing the National Governors Association from 2019 to 2020 and by co-chairing the centrist organization No Labels from 2020 to 2023. In 2024, he ran for the United States Senate in Maryland.
Early Life and Background
Larry Hogan was born on 25 May 1956 in Washington, D.C., United States. He is the son of Lawrence Hogan, a former U.S. Representative from Maryland, and Nora Maguire Hogan. Growing up in a politically active family, Hogan was introduced to public service and campaigning at an early age, accompanying his father to events and learning the rhythms of local and national politics. His father’s career in Congress provided a direct window into the workings of government and shaped Hogan’s later interest in public office.
Hogan attended Father Lopez Catholic High School in Florida, where he developed early leadership skills and a competitive streak that would later shape his political style. He went on to attend Florida State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. While at Florida State, Hogan became involved in student government and political organizing, experiences that reinforced his interest in Republican politics and prepared him for a future in public life. His education laid the groundwork for both his business career and his eventual entry into Maryland politics.
Path to US Politics
Before entering elected office, Larry Hogan built a successful career in business, working as a real estate broker and eventually leading his own commercial real estate firm. His business background gave him a reputation as a pragmatic problem-solver and connected him to a wide network of donors and civic leaders across Maryland. Hogan’s transition into politics began with grassroots activism on behalf of Republican candidates, and he quickly earned a reputation as a party organizer and fundraiser.
Hogan first entered state government in 2003 when he was appointed Maryland Secretary of Appointments, a role he held until 2007. In that capacity, he managed thousands of appointments to state boards and commissions, working closely with governors Robert Ehrlich and Martin O’Malley. The position sharpened his understanding of state-level policymaking and expanded his bipartisan relationships, ultimately positioning him for a run at the governorship.
Larry Hogan Career
Early Career (2003–2014)
Larry Hogan’s political rise began in earnest with his appointment as Maryland Secretary of Appointments in 2003, a post he held through 2007. The role required him to vet and place candidates in hundreds of state positions, giving him a detailed understanding of how Maryland’s executive branch functioned. He also chaired the Maryland Republican Party for a period, working to strengthen the party organization in a heavily Democratic state.
After leaving state government, Hogan returned to the private sector while continuing his political organizing. In 2014, he mounted his first campaign for governor, positioning himself as a common-sense Republican who could appeal to independent voters in a blue state. He won the Republican nomination and went on to defeat Democratic candidate Anthony Brown in the general election, becoming only the second Republican governor of Maryland in nearly five decades.
Maryland Governorship Breakthrough (2015–2019)
Larry Hogan was sworn in as the 62nd governor of Maryland in January 2015, marking the start of two terms defined by tax cuts, infrastructure investment, and a high-profile response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Early in his first term, he focused on fiscal discipline, rolling back scheduled tax increases and pushing for charter school expansion and regulatory reform. He also made national headlines by canceling the federally funded Baltimore Red Line rail project and reallocating the funds to highway improvements.
His first term also featured bipartisan cooperation on criminal justice, public safety, and Chesapeake Bay restoration efforts. Hogan won widespread praise for his handling of the 2015 unrest in Baltimore following the death of Freddie Gray, deploying the National Guard and later announcing the closure of the troubled Baltimore City Detention Center. By the end of his first term, Hogan had built one of the highest approval ratings of any governor in the country, and he easily won reelection in 2018.
Second Term and COVID-19 Response (2019–2023)
Hogan’s second term was dominated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which he confronted with a series of executive orders beginning in March 2020. He declared a state of emergency, closed schools and nonessential businesses, imposed a stay-at-home order, and later arranged the controversial acquisition of 500,000 COVID-19 test kits from South Korea in a deal known as Operation Enduring Friendship. His administration opened mass vaccination sites and gradually lifted restrictions through a multi-stage reopening plan.
Beyond the pandemic, Hogan continued to pursue tax relief, infrastructure expansion, and environmental policy, including a long-contested plan to add toll lanes to the Capital Beltway and Interstate 270. He also served as chair of the National Governors Association from 2019 to 2020, and from 2020 to 2023 he co-chaired the centrist group No Labels. In 2024, Hogan ran unsuccessfully for the United States Senate seat representing Maryland.
Notable Events and Milestones
One of the defining moments of Hogan’s governorship was his early-2020 handling of the COVID-19 crisis, which included a $10 million deal to acquire 500,000 test kits from South Korea and the deployment of National Guard strike teams to support nursing homes. In 2021, he granted posthumous pardons to 34 victims of racial lynchings in Maryland between 1854 and 1933. He also presided over the state’s first major redistricting effort in a decade through the Maryland Citizens Redistricting Commission.
Larry Hogan Family
Family Background and Political Lineage
Larry Hogan was raised in a deeply political household as the son of Lawrence Hogan Sr., a Republican U.S. Representative who served Maryland’s 5th congressional district from 1981 to 1989, and Nora Maguire Hogan. His father’s career in Congress gave Larry direct exposure to federal policymaking and grassroots campaigning from a young age. That family background helped shape his eventual path into Republican politics and public service.
Personal Life
Larry Hogan married Yumi Hogan, a Korean American artist and businesswoman, in 2004, and the couple resides in Annapolis, Maryland. Hogan has three daughters: Kim Velez, Jaymi Sterling, and Julie Kim. His blended family has been a visible part of his public life, and Yumi Hogan became the first Asian American first lady of Maryland during his time in office.