The Trump team has signaled that it will do everything in its power to defeat the Republican frontrunner in the Senate race in Maryland.
Two-term former governor Larry Hogan was never a Trump ally. He blamed Trump for the largely peaceful demonstration on January 6 in front of the Capitol.
Maryland Governor Larry Hogan said Sunday that President Donald Trump bears responsibility for the group of rioters who stormed the U.S. Capitol last week, threatened members of Congress and ransacked the seat of legislative power.
His words come amid growing support among Democrats in Congress for a second impeachment.
“There is no doubt in my mind that [Trump] was responsible for inciting that riotous mob,” Hogan said during an appearance Sunday morning on CNN’s “State of the Union” with Jake Tapper.
He also said that if he were in the Senate, he would have voted for it convict Former President Trump in his second impeachment trial.
Maryland’s Republican Governor Larry Hogan on Sunday praised Senate Republicans who broke party lines and opposed former President Donald Trump in his second impeachmentand said if he were a senator, he would have done the same thing.
“I’m proud of them because sometimes it’s not easy to go against your party, your base, your former president. But sometimes it’s hard to do the right thing. But I think I’m proud of the people who made that decision and put the country before their party or personal affection or whatever,” Hogan told CNN’s Jake Tapper on “State of the Union.”
So it was entirely on-brand when Hogan took to “X,” the social media platform formerly known as “Twitter,” to express his approval of Donald Trump’s conviction in a New York courtroom and let us know that we must support the verdict.
Regardless of the outcome, I urge all Americans to respect the verdict and the legal process. At this dangerously divisive moment in our history, politicians of all parties must not add fuel to the fire by spreading even more partisan sentiment. We must reaffirm what makes this nation tick…
– Governor Larry Hogan (@GovLarryHogan) May 30, 2024
RELATED: Now is not the time to be centrist – RedState
This did not go over particularly well in TrumpLand. Chris LaCivita, a senior adviser to Trump’s presidential campaign, responded:
You have just finished your campaign https://t.co/LJDuQ4oj0A
— Chris LaCivita (@LaCivitaC) May 30, 2024
Lara Trump, co-chair of the Republican National Committee, hinted that the RNC might not support Hogan financially.
Kasie: Is the RNC endorsing Hogan for Senate?
Lara Trump: I don’t support what he just said. He doesn’t deserve the respect of anyone in the Republican Party at this point. And frankly, anyone in America. pic.twitter.com/npj9qRuokM
– Acyn (@Acyn) June 2, 2024
This incident sheds airy on a dilemma facing the current GOP. Larry Hogan was elected governor twice. The last time a Republican served two terms as governor of Maryland was in 1951. Since then, only two Republicans have held that office: Spiro Agnew (1967 to 1969) and Bob Ehrlich (2003 to 2007). The point is that Hogan is not someone to be dismissed in Maryland politics, where a Trump endorsement doesn’t carry much weight. In the GOP primary, former gubernatorial candidate and Trump supporter Dan Cox stepped on the curb in the primary to represent Maryland’s Sixth District, the second most conservative district in the state.
BACKGROUND:
Bad news for Democrats: Republicans’ chances of winning the Senate are even better – RedState
New poll shows Republicans have a good chance of winning several Senate seats from the Democrats – RedState
If anything, the fact that TrumpLand is going after Hogan in November will support him. Hogan has released a commercial in which prominent Democrats, including the current governor of Maryland, praise him for opposing Trump.
The Trump campaign has a tough choice to make. Will they accept defeat and welcome Hogan to the U.S. Senate if he wins? Or will they continue to try to thwart Hogan’s campaign and then have to deal with another Lisa Murkowski?
