Donald Trump ♥ Larry Hogan | STAFF COMMENTARY

Only in Bizarro World can a fellow Republican's kind words hit like a slap in the face.

It is officially Bizarro World in Maryland politics.

Comic book fans will, of course, instantly recognize the reference to the classic 1960s era DC Comics vision of a cube-shaped planet where life was the opposite of Earth: Batman sported a “Futility Belt,” “Yellow Lantern” had a ring but it was just for show, and Bizarro Aquaman could not swim. The concept was even paid tribute decades later in “Seinfeld” where the main characters all had polar opposites.

Now, it’s the Free State’s turn. Former President Donald Trump last week told Fox News that he hopes former Gov. Larry Hogan wins a seat in the U.S. Senate. In a normal planet, a Republican presidential candidate endorsing a Republican running for the Senate would be ho-hum normal. But in Maryland in 2024, the last thing Hogan wants is to be linked to the remarkably unpopular (at least in Maryland) Trump. The Hogan campaign quickly issued a cold-shoulder statement reminding the world that he didn’t support Trump in 2016 or 2020 and doesn’t now, either.

Democrats, on the other hand, were delighted with this newfound top-of-the-ticket chumminess (particularly given Hogan’s MAGA-offending endorsement of the rule of law after the Trump conviction in the hush money case last month). They instantly issued their own press release and fundraising pitch: “Trump wants Larry Hogan because Trump knows Hogan would be the deciding vote to put Republicans in charge of the US Senate. It could not be more clear what is at stake,” according to the Maryland Democratic Party.

Between now and November, expect much more of this kind of redefining of traditional relationships as Hogan, whose TV spots practically claim he’s unaffiliated, seeks to position himself as far away from Trump as possible, while the Democratic Senate nominee, Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks, and her supporters keep playing the role of matchmaker.

The only question is whether Trump is doing this because he genuinely wants Hogan to win (this is how things work on Earth) or because he vindictively knows an endorsement (or whatever that was) could sink the former governor, who’s been critical of Trump. The latter is the more likely state of affairs in Bizarro World.

Baltimore Sun editorial writers offer opinions and analysis on news and issues relevant to readers. They operate separately from the newsroom.