In a striking departure from the Republican Party’s stance, Maryland’s Republican nominee for U.S. Senate, Larry Hogan, has pledged to support federal legislation enshrining abortion if elected. A new campaign ad sees the former two-term governor explicitly vowing to “make Roe the law of the land in every state so every woman can make her own choice.”

The 30-second spot opens with Hogan recounting his record on abortion as governor, stating, “I promised to uphold Maryland law on abortion while providing over-the-counter birth control covered by insurance, and I kept my word.” He then pivots to his position in the wake of the Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade last year, a ruling that has prompted several Republican-led states to tighten abortion restrictions.

“Today, with Roe overturned, many have asked what I’ll do in the United States Senate,” Hogan says directly to the camera. “I’ll support legislation that makes Roe the law of the land in every state so every woman can make her own choice.”

Hogan’s pro-choice stance puts him at odds with most of the Republican party’s candidates and lawmakers, who have largely backed state-level curbs on abortion following the Supreme Court decision. His position more closely aligns with that of President Biden and congressional Democrats, who have sought to enshrine abortion at the federal level.

The former Republican governor, aiming to succeed retiring longtime Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin in the blue state of Maryland, had previously affirmed his support for codifying Roe in interviews last week. “I’m pro-choice,” he told The New York Times, adding that his view “wasn’t really a major transformation” despite being raised Catholic.

Hogan’s abortion rights platform and formidable popularity in Maryland have presented an unexpected challenge for Democrats defending their razor-thin Senate majority. His late entry has forced the party to allocate resources to a race they had once considered safe, with the Democratic nominee, Angela Alsobrooks, hoping to make history as Maryland’s first Black senator.

As the divisive abortion debate rages nationwide, Hogan’s unorthodox stance could prove to be a central issue shaping one of the nation’s most closely watched Senate contests.