Larry Hogan leaves door open to backing DeSantis in 2024 despite differences

Ryan King

March 07, 07:17 PM March 07, 07:17 PM

Former Maryland GOP Gov. Larry Hogan begrudgingly left open the possibility of backing Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) for president despite their profound differences.

Fresh off his bowing out of consideration for the 2024 GOP primary, Hogan reiterated his long-standing staunch opposition to former President Donald Trump reclaiming the party nod and underscored that "DeSantis would not be my favorite" while demurring when repeatedly pressed on whether he could support him for president.

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"I think [DeSantis] is the younger, maybe smarter version of Donald Trump, but he's fishing for the same exact same MAGA base, and he's trying to appeal to them," Hogan told PBS NewsHour. "I've said I wouldn't support Donald Trump, but I'm anxious to see how Gov. DeSantis performs."

Hogan quickly emerged as one of Trump's loudest Republican detractors. On occasion, he has also dinged DeSantis's culture war policies, deeming them "big government and authoritarian" approaches that he opposes.

"We don't agree on a lot of things. We're completely different in many respects, in tone and style and substance," Hogan added. "We'll just have to see how the campaign plays out."

A torrent of polling has pegged DeSantis as Trump's top competitor for the 2024 GOP primary. He has yet to declare but is reportedly eyeing a summertime announcement after the Florida state legislature concludes its session.

In January, Hogan stepped down as governor. Despite being a Republican in a deep blue state, he was one of the most popular governors in the country, which sparked some presidential speculation, though polls showed him getting trounced by his Republican peers in a primary. He took note of his odds when he bowed out.

"There are several competent Republican leaders who have the potential to step up and lead. But the stakes are too high for me to risk being part of another multicar pileup that could potentially help Mr. Trump recapture the nomination," Hogan said in a statement Sunday.

Still, Hogan maintains that there is an ongoing "battle for the heart and soul of the Republican Party" and has some advice for the GOP. Hogan has prodded Republicans to focus on appealing to moderate voters rather than focusing on throwing red meat to the base.

"If the Republican Party wants to get back to winning again so that they can govern, then they're going to have to have a message that appeals to a wider group of people," Hogan told NPR. "And I think kind of doubling down on the rhetoric just to appeal to the base may backfire in a general election."

Rather than dwell on peddling dubious claims that the 2020 election was stolen, Hogan contends that the party should focus on the economy, crime, education, and other pocketbook issues.

"Most Americans are looking for leadership that focuses on getting things done and common sense solutions that can bring people together. They want a hopeful, positive vision for America, not just divisiveness and performative politics," he tweeted.