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- Gov. Larry Hogan said GOP governors are “concerned” with how a Trump run could impact the midterms.
- Trump has not officially announced a run, but recent reports suggest he could as early as September.
- “In competitive places and purple battlefields, it’s going to cost us seats,” Hogan said.
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan said he and other Republicans are worried about how the party’s chances in the midterms could be impacted by former President Donald Trump announcing a 2024 run before election day.
“We had discussions about that at the Republican Governors Association last week,” Hogan said during an interview with ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday.
“I think most people are very concerned about the damage it does to the party if he announces now,” Hogan, who has frequently criticized Trump, said. “And it may help in very red states or very red districts. But in competitive places and purple battlefields, it’s going to cost us seats if he were to do that.”
Trump has not announced whether or not he will run for president in 2024, but he has repeatedly teased a run, telling his supporters they’ll be “very happy” with his decision. Recent reports have suggested he could announce as early as September. But some in the GOP, including his allies, worry it could derail the party’s midterms messaging, which has largely consisted of attacks against President Joe Biden and a focus on high inflation and gas prices.
Hogan pointed to prior losses for Republicans that occurred under Trump: “Trump already lost us the White House, the Senate, the House, now he’s costing us governor seats and Senate seats.”
He also said he was “50/50” on whether or not Trump would actually run again.
“His ego probably can’t take another loss. After all, he lost to Joe Biden, which is hard to do. But he likes to be the center of attention,” he said.
Hogan, a GOP governor in a blue state, could not run for reelection this fall due to term limits in Maryland. The candidate he endorsed, moderate Republican Kelly Schultz. was defeated in the primary by Trump-endorsed Dan Cox. Hogan said Sunday he thinks there’s no chance Cox can win.
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