Former Maryland GOP Gov. Larry Hogan has posted a stunning double-digit lead in a new poll as he competes for a U.S. Senate seat long held by Democrats in a blue state.

“The Washington Post-University of Maryland survey found Hogan beating both likely Democratic contenders by double digits in hypothetical general election matchups. The moderate Republican [also] led Rep. David Trone, 49 percent to 37 percent, and Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks, 50 percent to 36 percent,” Politico reported.

However, the poll, conducted among 1,004 registered Maryland voters from March 5 to March 12, also revealed that 55 percent of voters prefer Democrats to control the Senate, compared to 35 percent who favor Republicans. This suggests that Hogan’s path to victory may face additional challenges beyond the candidate-versus-candidate poll results, Politico added.

The former governor entered the race unexpectedly last month and has enjoyed a surge in support due to his widespread name recognition in the state. Despite Democrats outnumbering Republicans in voter registration, Hogan’s reputation for bipartisanship during his two terms as governor has earned him favorability even among Democrats.

“The survey found that 64 percent of voters viewed Hogan favorably — including 61 percent of registered Democrats — versus 33 percent who said the same of Trone and 26 percent of Alsobrooks. Many voters had no opinion of Trone or Alsobrooks: 46 percent and 58 percent, respectively,” the outlet added.

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Meanwhile, in blue California, Democratic candidate Rep. Adam Schiff and Republican candidate Steve Garvey emerged victorious in a U.S. Senate race, setting up a general election for November.

Rep. Katie Porter (D-Calif.), who found it difficult to balance Schiff’s mainstream appeal and Rep. Barbara Lee’s (D-Calif.) progressive message, lost to Garvey’s outsider campaign.

The winner of the November election will take over the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s seat; Feinstein passed away in September of last year at the age of 90. Laphonza Butler was appointed to the seat by Gov. Gavin Newsom but she chose not to run for it.

Garvey, who helped the Los Angeles Dodgers win the World Series in 1981, says he wants to revive the “heartbeat” of that once-great state.

In a December interview with Fox News, Garvey explained why he entered the race as a Republican while dismissing opponents who he said only want to represent half of the state.

“Earlier this year, I wondered, ‘Let’s see who I can get behind in California that I can support, that had my values and my commitment to this country,’ and I couldn’t find anybody. You know how strongly liberal [California has become] over the years and generations,” the former first baseman said.

“I woke up one morning and decided to see if there’s a pathway to run for the U.S. Senate,” he added.

He told Fox that his campaign has been active as he attempts to connect with voters all across the state.

“We’ve been actively, over the first probably four months after making that decision, talking to significant people that I trust in the world of politics and then going around California, talking to the people in the north, coastal and central California, and also down south where we are,” the one-time National League MVP said.

Garvey played 14 years for the Dodgers and another five for the San Diego Padres between 1969 and 1987.

“My whole life has been based on, you know, team building and putting teams together with comparable skills, leadership, dedication, passion,” he said. “It doesn’t stop just with sports teams. It goes all the way into business and politics, in religion and all those things.”

If elected, Garvey said on his first day, he would try to meet with every other senator to begin building a rapport with them.

He also said he was in California when it was the “heartbeat of America” but said that it’s now become a “murmur” because of financial and safety challenges faced by those living there.

“The challenges of hardworking Californians getting up every day and knowing that, under our economy now and inflation, that by the time the month’s over, they could be losing seven, eight, $900. And that’s when they’re even managing their daily lives well,” Garvey said.

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