In a battle of super PACs, an especially well-funded one supporting Republican former Gov. Larry Hogan is gobbling up airtime seeking to influence his U.S. Senate race against Democrat Angela Alsobrooks and swing Senate control to Republicans.

The super PAC called “Maryland’s Future” launched a week after the former two-term governor entered the race in February. It was quickly evident that the PAC — seeded March 6 with $10 million from major Republican donor Kenneth Griffin, head of the Citadel LLC hedge fund — was accumulating the cash needed to be a major player in the election.

But it was uncertain for months how and when it would launch its election ad offensive, and whether Alsobrooks’ supporters could keep up.

The answer, at least in part, came Sept. 23 when it reserved $18.3 million in ad time, according to the media tracking firm AdImpact, giving Hogan a sizable advantage over Alsobrooks — at least at that time — in spending on his behalf. Democrats may still spend significant sums between now and the election, however.

It’s uncertain whether monied supporters of Alsobrooks, who is backed by EMILYs List — a group aimed at electing abortion rights women to Congress — and other groups can keep pace. Alsobrooks, the second-term Prince George’s County executive, is making her first run for statewide office.

Alsobrooks senior adviser Connor Lounsbury said Thursday that Hogan “has enlisted his Republican billionaire friends to spend millions attacking Angela because he’s on their team. And that team is on a mission to give Republicans a majority in the Senate.”

Super PACs are prohibited from coordinating with the campaigns they support or oppose. Super PACs can raise unlimited sums from individuals, corporations and unions, and independently spend money on TV advertising and other campaign messaging.

Hogan campaign spokeswoman Blake Kernen did not immediately respond to Baltimore Sun questions about super PAC spending.

The influx of GOP money to Maryland is because “this race is on the top 10 list — sometimes higher — of contentious Senate races. This is a potential pickup for Republicans and a needed ‘guard’ for Democrats,” said Roger E. Hartley, dean of the University of Baltimore’s College of Public Affairs.

Democrats hold a 51-49 U.S. Senate majority and must win a number of competitive races — or pickup new seats — to hold Senate control.

In a state in which Democrats hold a better than 2-1 voter registration advantage, Hogan is seeking a significant number of independent voters and crossover Democrats to win the seat being left vacant by Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin’s retirement in January.

Hogan’s campaign has emphasized his “independence” from the GOP.

Hartley said that even if a victorious Hogan were to vote occasionally with Democrats, he would still be hugely valuable to Republicans if he helps secure a Senate majority enabling them to control the chamber’s agenda.

Unity First — a pro-Alsobrooks super PAC — sponsored its own ad last month. Unity First was created in April, according to Federal Election Commission records.

Its ad recounted Hogan’s 2022 veto of a measure allowing nurse practitioners and other non-physician medical professionals to perform abortions in Maryland. The Democratic-controlled General Assembly overrode his veto. Hogan has since said following the May primary that he supports codifying abortion rights in federal law.

Asked how much it planned to spend to benefit Alsobrooks, a Unity First spokesperson released a statement saying it “will spend six figures on digital and cable, and is prioritizing efforts to mobilize young voters through peer to peer online programming.”

The Alsobrooks campaign itself has spent $5.86 million on political ads while the political arm of Emily’s List and other committees backing Alsobrooks have spent another $7.76 million on ads about Hogan and his record, according to The Washington Post.

The election is Nov. 5.

Unity First is supported partly by Gov. Wes Moore, an Alsobrooks ally. The super PAC’s aim is to “make clear to Maryland voters how Larry Hogan will turn control of the U.S. Senate over to MAGA Republicans so they can enact their own extremist policies like a national abortion ban and obstructing common sense gun laws,” said a statement to The Sun in June from Ned Miller, who was Moore’s 2022 campaign manager and is a senior adviser to the super PAC.

Griffin, the GOP donor, has given other big donations focused on Republicans winning the Senate majority, including a $10 million contribution to a PAC supporting Republican Dave McCormick in Pennsylvania’s U.S. Senate race.

Alsobrooks, has sought to capitalize on Griffin’s contribution to Maryland’s Future, telling supporters in a fundraising email over the summer that “a shady super PAC supporting former Maryland Governor Larry Hogan just landed a $10 MILLION donation,” and asking for their “grassroots support.”