“There’s no question we’ve lost a battle and we’re losing some battles, but the battle … is far from over,” Larry Hogan told CNN’s Jake Tapper on “State of the Union” when asked about his battle to control the party’s future against the background of former President Donald Trump’s enormous influence on its leadership.
“I can tell you I’m not giving up, it just makes me want to double down and fight against what I believe is a kind of hostile takeover of the party I love,” he added.
Last week, Maryland Republican Del. Dan Cox, an election denier who has taken a series of hardline conservative positions, won the GOP primary nomination to replace Hogan, who is term-limited.
The race will be one of the toughest governorships for the GOP to field in November, and Cox’s victory showed the willingness of Republican voters to abandon what had been a winning formula in the deep blue state after Hogan angered his own party with its criticism of Trump and his public safety measures amid the coronavirus pandemic. Hogan endorsed Kelly Schultz, his former Commerce Secretary, in the primary, while Trump endorsed Cox.
But Hogan said Sunday he doubts Cox will secure the governor’s mansion in November.
“I don’t think there’s any chance he’s going to win,” Hogan said, “He’s really not a serious contender.”
Asked if he might vote for Wes Moore, the state’s Democratic gubernatorial nominee, Hogan said, “I’ll have to make a decision on that between now and November, but I’m certainly not going to support that guy. ”
And when asked if he’s more likely to consider a run for president after the recent GOP primary results, Hogan was coy.
“It makes me worry more about the future of the party and the future of the country,” Hogan said.
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