Incumbent Republican Governor Larry Hogan defeated Democratic Candidate Ben Jealous during the November 6 midterm elections, making him the second Republican governor to win a re-election campaign in Maryland history. This rarely seen result—last time being in 1954—may be attributed in part to his commitment to healthcare, which proved to be a national priority across the country.

Last summer, Hogan vocally disapproved of the Graham-Cassidy bill, which proposed to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare. Hogan cited the extreme cost a repeal would have to the state, as well as the threat to coverage such a proposal would have on the 400,000+ Marylanders that have gained access healthcare since the state’s ACA’s expansion. He pushed for bipartisan solutions that would expand access to care while creating a stable market, which resonated with the state’s newly covered population and Marylanders across the board.

This past September, Governor Hogan lowered rates for health insurance premiums through the state’s exchange, which impacts the nearly 200,000 Maryland residents purchase their insurance from the state due to their employers not offering coverage. Hogan also worked with legislators to keep a tax on insurance carriers. The funds from this tax are used to create a pool that insurers can use to cover the most expensive claims.

This coming July, Hogan will become the chair of the National Governors Association (NGA), where he will serve to represent all 50 state governors on a national level, becoming a voice for the Association. With this newly influential role as chair of the NGA, we can hope that his record of support for health care extends to governors’ mansions outside of Maryland.