At least one Republican governor is less than enthusiastic about Donald Trump’s reelection bid. Maryland’s Larry Hogan seems to be teasing his own White House run in four years time.
Hogan has clashed with the President over the course of the Covid-19 pandemic and his new interview with The New York Times is unlikely to endear him to the President.
“After this November election is over, regardless of who wins, there are a large majority of Americans who are completely convinced our political system is fundamentally broken, and they’re going to be looking for something different,” Hogan said.
The Maryland governor is embarking on a virtual book tour to promote his memoir Still Standing: Surviving Cancer, Riots, and the Toxic Politics that Divide America.
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“We have an election coming up — we’ll see what happens there — but I’ve been leading the nation’s governors through one of the biggest crises in our lifetime,” he said.
Governor Hogan’s lack of enthusiasm for Trump’s reelection hasn’t become outright opposition, but he’s more willing than many serving Republicans to criticize the President.
“It’s mixed messages — bouncing from one message to the other,” Hogan said.
“His entire administration is telling everyone to take it seriously while he tells everybody to not take it seriously.”
There’s been much speculation about a possible Senate or presidential bid. Hogan ruled out the former, despite good polling in his home state.
“I still have 31 months of being governor of Maryland,” he said. “It’s not something I’m actively considering. Senate has not been the focus.”
However, a 2024 White House bad doesn’t seem to be off the cards just yet. Some could see Hogan as a moderate alternative to more pro-Trump voices, such as Senator Tom Cotton.
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Darragh Roche is a journalist covering U.S. politics and media
