Larry Hogan, the former Republican governor of Maryland, announced Sunday that he will not run for president in 2024.
Former President Donald J. A moderate Republican who is a frequent critic of Trump, Mr. Hogan said in a New York Times opinion piece and in an interview with CBS News’ Robert Costa that he had seriously considered a campaign but decided to run. Do not produce.
In 2016, Mr. Trump won the Republican nomination against several primary rivals who divided the support of voters who opposed him. Neither candidate was able to unify anti-Trump voters, and Mr. Hogan said he doesn’t want to contribute to a similar situation in 2024.
“Right now, you know, Trump and DeSantis are at the top of the field — they’re sucking up all the oxygen and getting all the attention,” he said of Mr. Costa said in an interview for “Face the Nation.” Mr. duly entered the race. Referring to Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. “And then there’s a lot of us in the single digits, and the more of them you have, the less likely someone is going to rise.”
In his Times article, he was candid about the implications of such a large field.
“To be a successful governing party again, we must move on from Mr. Trump,” he wrote. “There are many talented Republican leaders who have the potential to step up and lead. The risk to me is too high to be part of another multicar pile-up that could help Mr. Trump recapture the nomination.
Mr. Hogan spent eight years as governor of Maryland, a blue state where he was popular despite his party. When running for president, he said on several occasions that his record would set an example for the Republican Party, which has moved sharply to the right and Mr. It has missed or fallen short of expectations in all three election cycles since Trump took office. Initiated.
Last year, Mr. Hogan supported several Republican candidates for governor and Congress.
But while his brand of Republicanism appeals across the aisle in a liberal state like Maryland, he argued, it might appeal in a general election for president, with little sign of appetite for it in the Republican primary.
For now, the primary domain remains small. Mr. Trump and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who served as United Nations ambassador under him, are the only two with experience in state or federal elected office. But Mr. With DeSantis and several other nationally known Republicans considering campaigns, the field is likely to grow in the coming months.
