Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, a moderate Republican popular among critics of President Trump, said he won’t challenge President Trump in the 2020 primaries. Hogan’s decision is a blow to anti-Trump Republicans who have courted him to run.
“I’m not going to be a candidate for president in 2020,” Hogan said in an interview with the Washington Post on Saturday. Hogan has spent significant time in battleground campaign states, such as New Hampshire, often publicly criticizing the president.
However, Hogan said that he had a responsibility to the people of his state.
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“I have a commitment to the 6 million people of Maryland and a lot of work to do, things we haven’t completed,” Hogan said. The governor will still be a presence on the national stage, he said, in part because he will serve as chair of the bipartisan National Governors Association.
He also plans to launch An America United, an advocacy group that would “transcend partisanship” and work on issues such as infrastructure. He emphasized that despite his continued political advocacy, he will not be challenging Mr. Trump as an independent candidate.
“No, no, no — it’s not,” Hogan said. “It’s not about a third party run or anything like that. I’m not hedging my bets.”
Former Massachusetts Governor William Weld, a Republican, has announced that he will challenge Mr. Trump in the primary.
