Maryland Senate race: Alsobrooks and Hogan spar over abortion rights

OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — Democrat Angela Alsobrooks highlighted former Gov. Larry Hogan’s actions in office as evidence he fell short on standing up for abortion rights as he now claims he would, while Hogan said she was mischaracterizing his position during a debate in a widely watched Senate race in Maryland.Alsobrooks, in the hourlong debate on Maryland Public Television, criticized Hogan’s veto of a bill in 2022 to expand abortion rights by ending a restriction that only physicians can provide abortions in the state. The legislature overrode the veto, and the law enables nurse practitioners, nurse midwives and physician assistants to provide care.“The fact of the matter is when the former governor had an opportunity to stand up for the women of Maryland, he didn’t,” Alsobrooks said. “He vetoed abortion care legislation. He double downed and refused to release the funding to train abortion care providers. This was just two years ago.”But Hogan emphasized that he supports abortion rights, and said Alsobrooks’ criticism of him didn’t reflect his position. He said he would co-sponsor legislation to codify Roe v. Wade, which was struck down by the Supreme Court in 2022. The former governor said his veto was due to...