Gov. Hogan Says Maya Rockeymoore Cummings 'Dog Whistle White Nationalist' Comment About Him 'Not Worth Response'

BALTIMORE (WJZ) — Maryland's governor is asking Maryland's newest Democratic congressional candidate for an apology.

The controversy was born out of Gov. Hogan saying he came from the "Ronald Reagan School of Politics"

Democrats seized the moment, citing Reagan's previous racist comments.

When Maya Rockeymoore Cummings ran for governor last year, she called Gov. Larry Hogan a "dog whistle white nationalist," after he praised Ronald Reagan's politics.

"What I said was he outed himself as a dog whistle white nationalist because what he said was Ronald Reagan was his--his--his mentor, somebody that he modeled himself after," Rockeymoore Cummings said.

Rockeymoore Cummings alluded to tapes released earlier this year, of a call to President Nixon, when then-California Gov. Ronald Reagan referred to Africans as "monkeys".

Tuesday, after Rockeymoore Cummings announced her candidacy for Congress, she again called for the governor to rescind his comments.

"People weren't familiar with Ronald Reagan's history, the fact that he didn't actually stand for the Civil Rights Act, the fact that he actually did have a prejudice toward people of color, particularly people of color," She said.

After a meeting with Anne Arundel County business leaders, Gov. Hogan said it wasn't worth a response.

"I don't really feel like getting into it with her. It's not really worth a response. I didn't say anything the first time she made those crazy, outrageous comments," Gov. Hogan said.

A spokesperson for the governor has asked Rockeymoore Cummings to apologize. So far, she is continuing to stand behind her comments.