Hogan sworn in as Maryland’s 62nd governor

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— Two months after his stunning, yet decisive victory over Democrat Anthony Brown, Republican Larry Hogan Jr., took the oath of office on Wednesday, January 21, 2015 as Maryland’s 62nd governor.

With his wife Yumi who becomes the first Asian-American first lady in state history, his children and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie in attendance, Hogan said he was grateful for the challenge ahead and he also looked forward to putting aside partisanship in order to do what’s right for the citizens of Maryland.

“Forty years ago, a Maryland congressman, a Republican, sat on the House Judiciary Committee during Watergate, and the entire world was watching,” Hogan said.

“Would this man be willing to buck his own party, his own president, to do what he thought was right for the country?”

The new governor noted that, despite tremendous pressure, that statesman put aside partisanship and made the tough decision, and became the first Republican to come out for the impeachment of President Nixon.

“That man was my dad, former Congressman Lawrence J. Hogan, Sr., who is here with us today,” Hogan said, proudly. “He put aside party politics and his own personal considerations in order to do the right thing for the nation. He taught me more about integrity in one day than most men learn in a lifetime, and I am so proud to be his son.”

Former Governor Robert Ehrlich also joined the crowd of invited guests and spectators who watched outside the Maryland State House in Annapolis as Maryland Court of Appeals Chief Judge Mary Ellen Barbera conducted Hogan’s swearing in.

Boyd Rutherford, who ran alongside Hogan for lieutenant governor, also took the oath of office, becoming just the third African-American to hold that position in the state.

Reportedly, Hogan and Rutherford will inherit a $750 million deficit and the governor says that he will focus on making a government that works for everyone. He also said that he will be guided by four principals, including: fiscal responsibility, economic growth, reform and fairness.

“Today, we celebrate a new beginning for Maryland, remembering our past, while striving for a better and more promising future. The question isn’t whether Maryland is a great state,” Hogan said. “The question is, what will we do, all of us, to reinvigorate this great state that we all love? What will we do to ensure that our future is better than our present or our past?”

Hogan says the time has come to cast aside the status quo and to build a better future.

“We must set the bar higher, and create a bolder vision of the future. Let’s create a Maryland that is thriving, growing, innovating, and is responsive to the needs of all its citizens,” he said. “Let’s strive to make Maryland the best place in America to work, raise a family, start a business, and even to retire.”