“I wish this is what happened, but I doubt it very much. “
Your point is well taken, and in maryland it matters very little whether his disrespect is intentional or a facade. It is in the interest of both sides of that argument for hogan to appear hostile to trump. If it were more detectable then the maryland voters would be less likely to swallow it. So if you don’t detect the subterfuge then that is a very good thing. I detect it only insomuch as it explains a great many things. An overt conservative candidate in maryland doesnt stand a chance given the way the democrats have jerrymandered districts to their advantage.
Trump doesnt need for hogan to like him. Trump needs hogan to get elected to paint the senate red. Hopefully the phrase ‘tip the senate red’ will not be applicable as it would be way better if the senate victories were sufficient to make it so that hogan does not become a ‘crucial swing vote’. As long as hogan can vote against trumps initiatives and not cause any harm then Maryland will be a safe red senate seat. But when trump needs hogans vote to pass his agenda, then that endangers both the agenda and the seat. Hogan can be counted on to be a small (r) republican. So if you want to maintain maryland in the red senate category, then dont count on him for votes. Conservatives are not going to like that he needs to often side with democrats to maintain the seat. We need to just remember that and that the only way to fix that is to redraw the maryland districts so that they truly represent the populations interests.
That’s how i think the politics will work.
I hope you are correct about Hogan. I was living in Maryland when there was a referendum on the ballot about the gerrymandering. Republicans gathered more than enough signatures to have it on the ballot. Then the majority Dem state legislature in Annapolis worded the initiative something like…
Agree or disagree: Congressional districts must be drawn according to the United States Constitution
Many people who voted “agree” were unaware of the extreme gerrymandering. If they had ever seen a proposed map, many of them would have voted “disagree” The US Constitution only requires that congressional district be contiguous and approximately equal in population.
Some Congressional districts in Maryland go for several miles along a single road to connect two completely different voting blocks, essentially disenfranchising the 40% Republicans who could never possibly win and thus can be ignored.