Josh Hawley Says He Won’t Run For President In 2024 As His Political Future Fades

Last updated on January 29th, 2021 at 11:18 am

Missouri GOP Sen. Josh Hawley thought it would be good politics to spread Donald Trump’s big lie about election fraud – a lie that led to the Jan. 6 attack at the U.S. Capitol – but his political star appears to be fading.

According to Business Insider, “Sen. Josh Hawley, the Missouri Republican who led efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election, said he isn’t going to launch a White House bid in 2024.”

“No, I’m not running,” the Republican senator told the news outlet before ducking into an elevator.

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The tough-talking first-term senator appeared to be eyeing the Oval Office, with a new book due out in May from a conservative publisher after being dropped by Simon & Schuster. His national profile has increased through fiery speeches and loyalty to now-former President Donald Trump.

But Hawley, a fast-rising 41-year old who also served as Missouri’s attorney general, has also drawn the ire of both Republicans and Democrats. Some have even called for his resignation for his role spearheading then-President Donald Trump’s attempt to secure a second term despite losing last November’s presidential election.

Inciting a violent insurrection isn’t the best way to launch a presidential run

To be clear, just because Josh Hawley is now saying he won’t run for president doesn’t mean he won’t ultimately change his mind and launch a campaign less than four years from now.

But in the short run, it seems that Hawley’s role in inciting a violent insurrection against the U.S. government didn’t do him any favors. Texas GOP Sen. Ted Cruz, also positioning himself for a 2024 bid, is learning that same lesson.

Given the amount of backlash that Josh Hawley has faced since the Jan. 6 attack, he’ll be lucky if he even has a job in the Senate four years from now, let alone become the 2024 Republican nominee for president.

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Sean Colarossi

Sean Colarossi currently resides in Cleveland, Ohio. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and was an organizing fellow for both of President Obama’s presidential campaigns. He also worked with Planned Parenthood as an Affordable Care Act Outreach Organizer in 2014, helping northeast Ohio residents obtain health insurance coverage.