On Way Out The Door, Republican Hogan Savages Florida's DeSantis
Outgoing Maryland governor non-committal about presidential run
On the eve of his last day in office, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan slammed fellow governor — and potential contender for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination — Ron DeSantis, of Florida.
Term-limited, Hogan leaves office Wednesday with the inauguration of incoming Democratic governor Wes Moore.
Hogan, himself, supposed Moore — the first Black person to lead Maryland — over a Republican nominee who was an election denier and supporter of Donald Trump's.
Prior to turning over the reins of government, Hogan criticized his party — and DeSantis, particularly — in doing a poor job of reaching out to moderate voters in a television interview Tuesday.
DeSantis was just reelected in November to a second term, and is considered a potential frontrunner for the Republican nomination for president next year.
The Florida governor made national news for aiding a right-wing scheme to seemingly fraudulently redirect migrants and refugees to the remote island of Martha's Vineyard off the Massachusetts coast.
“Well, he hasn’t done it so far. He’s done a really good job of getting on Fox News and he’s capturing a lot of attention, but he certainly hasn’t done it the way Charlie Baker and Phil Scott and I have,” Hogan said, referring to fellow moderate Republican executives in Massachusetts and Vermont. “We’re consistently the most — highest job approval in the country and I think DeSantis is down around 30th place among governors.”
Hogan, himself, was non-committal when asked if he would also run for president.
“I really don’t know, Jake. I’m going to finish the job tomorrow, and then maybe take a little bit of a break and try to see what the future holds,” Hogan told CNN host Jake Tapper. “I do care very deeply about getting my party back to a bigger tent party that can win elections.
“I’m concerned about the country. But, I don’t know, I’m going to be a voice to continue to go in that direction, but whether or not that means I’ll be a candidate or not, I’m not sure,” Hogan added.
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