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Larry Hogan, the former Republican governor of Maryland who positioned himself as one of his party’s fiercest critics of Donald Trump, said Sunday he will not challenge the ex-president for the GOP’s White House nomination in 2024.
“I would never run for president to sell books or position myself for a Cabinet role,” the 66-year-old Hogan wrote in The New York Times. “I have long said that I care more about ensuring a future for the Republican Party than securing my own future in the Republican Party. And that is why I will not be seeking the Republican nomination for president.”
The move is a recognition that while many in the GOP are considering ways to move on from the Trump era, there is little appetite among primary voters for such a vocal critic of the former president. Other prominent Trump adversaries, including former Reps. Liz Cheney of Wyoming and Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, don’t appear to be making moves toward a campaign at the moment.
For now, that leaves Trump as the leading figure in the early field of Republican candidates.
So far, he faces just three formal challengers: his former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and Michigan businessman Perry Johnson. Others, including former Vice President Mike Pence, ex-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, may join in the coming months. Some, such as Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, could wait until late summer to officially announce their campaigns.
In an interview airing on CBS’ “Face The Nation,” Hogan insisted the prospect of competing against Trump didn’t factor into his decision.
“He’s very tough,” Hogan said. “But, you know, I beat life-threatening cancer. So having Trump call me names on Twitter didn’t — didn’t really scare me off.
