Former Gov. Larry Hogan unpacks his Maryland Senate race, refusing Trump endorsement

Former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican, is running for a U.S. Senate seat as an anti-Trump candidate in a Democratic state. He is up against Democrat Angela Alsobrooks, the executive of Prince George's County.

In 2014, Hogan achieved a remarkable upset on election night, becoming only the second Republican governor elected in Maryland in 50 years. In 2018, he became the first Republican governor to win a second term in Maryland since 1954.

Now, the former two-term governor is trying to shock the political world once again by winning a Senate seat as an anti-Trump Republican. If Hogan wins, he will be the first Maryland Republican to win a Senate race since Charles McCurdy Mathias Jr., who served from 1969 to 1987.

Hogan considers himself a maverick -- an attribute he suggests runs in his blood.

ABC News' Linsey Davis sat down with Hogan to discuss the former governor's cancer diagnosis, why he isn't voting for Trump despite the former president's endorsement and his response to criticism of his record.

ABC News: It was such a shock, really, for the political world when you won and became governor. Five months later, you get this diagnosis that you have this aggressive form of cancer?

LARRY HOGAN: I did six months of 24-hour day chemotherapy, in and out of the hospital. And governed the state from my hospital bed, it was a challenge. But it made me more empathetic, I think. And we pushed the Cancer Moonshot Initiative and I built the new cancer center in Prince George's County and one in Baltimore and invested $230 million in cancer research.

ABC NEWS: I've read that the Tim McGraw's song 'Live Like You're Dying' became a popular.

HOGAN: It talks about making the most out of every day you have and enjoying life. It became like my theme song. I'm in the worst part of the chemo, all my hair falling out, my head is swollen and could barely walk. And Tim McGraw is doing a benefit for University of Maryland Children's Hospital Hospital Center. Last song of the night, Tim McGraw points at me and says: "this song goes out to the governor. He's a good man fighting a tough fight."

I learned a lot about integrity in public service from my dad. He was the first Republican on the House Judiciary Committee to come out for Nixon's impeachment. I saw that, you know, he was willing to put country over party and to make a tough choice. But he did what he thought was right. And I feel like history does repeat itself because I've been standing up in a similar kind of way.

ABC NEWS: You said, "I don't want the endorsement [from former president Trump]."

HOGAN: Well, I never had any interest in his endorsement. In this state, I've got to get the folks that are voting for Donald Trump, there aren't that many of them, he's losing by 30 points. But I've got to get them to know that I'm still going to be the same guy that they voted for.

ABC NEWS: We've heard just from some Maryland registered voters here who say "Look, I like Larry Hogan, but I'm concerned about giving up the Senate to the Republicans." And you may be the deciding factor. Why not run as an independent?

HOGAN: Right now, you see West Virginia and Montana are pretty much there already at 51. There's easier races in Ohio and Pennsylvania and other places. So I don't think I'll be the one that flips the Senate, but I think I will be the voice that'll stand out that's going to be willing to stand up.

ABC NEWS: I want to read through just a few headlines for you "Is Larry Hogan living in a fantasy world?" "Trump aides declare Larry Hogan's campaign dead." "Larry Hogan made the wrong choice." You face so much serious fire from, from the Trump world, in, in particular. How do you navigate this in a time like this?

HOGAN: When things are so crazy and so divided, that may be what we need is a little bit of what we were able to do just down the road from Washington for eight years. And that's try to bring people together. But yeah, I'm currently running 25 points ahead of Donald Trump. I'm running ahead of him with Republicans. We're winning independents overwhelmingly. And we're just trying to convince those Democrats who voted for me twice that I'm going to, I'm going to be able to represent them in Washington and look out for all of their interests.

ABC NEWS: What do you say to critics like Liz Cheney? She says it's not enough because Trump presents a challenge and a fundamental threat to the republic.

HOGAN: Liz Cheney and some others like her have made that decision. And they also are no longer in politics and don't have the ability to actually get in office and make a difference. And I'm running where I hopefully I can make a difference from the inside.

ABC NEWS: Maryland voters are really passionate about immigration, even though you guys are far away from a border. So what are your thoughts with regard to Donald Trump's claim that he's going to have massive deportations of illegals?

HOGAN: It's all crazy. And I spoke out, strongly and often. We have to secure the border because it's a huge problem. Because there are people that we want and need in the country that we can't, they can't follow the process. People that maybe graduate with advanced degrees and scientists and doctors and people that going make some incredible discoveries and we're making them go back home after they finish their schooling.

ABC NEWS: You're a pro-choice Republican, but you have come under some fire when you were governor that you vetoed a bill that would have expanded access to abortion.

HOGAN: Well, so, on day one, I will co-sponsor a bill to codify Roe so that no one can come between a woman and her doctor in any state. The bill that we've come under criticism from my opponent on, really wasn't about access. We weren't rolling anything back, but they were trying to pass a bill that would allow nonmedical professionals like midwives to do more abortions. And I just philosophically disagree with that position.

ABC NEWS: Biggest misconception about you?

HOGAN: They try to make me sound like I'm a, I'm a MAGA Republican just because there's an R next to my name. But I think the people of Maryland know that I'm different.

ABC NEWS: Greatest strength?

HOGAN: I have the courage to stand up to anyone and always telling it like it is. I'm a straight shooter.