Hogan clarifies he won’t commit to backing Trump in 2024

Former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, one of the leading moderate Republican voices, clarified that he would not commit to supporting former President Trump if he were the presidential nominee for Republicans in 2024.

Hogan, a longtime Trump opponent considering his own run for the White House, made comments on conservative radio talk show host Hugh Hewitt’s show on Thursday that indicated he would support whoever becomes the GOP nominee.

But Hogan walked back that statement in a tweet later in the day, clarifying that he would not commit to supporting the twice-impeached former president. Instead, he said he fully expected to support the nominee, who he thinks will not be Trump.

“To be clear, my position on Trump hasn’t changed. Trump won’t commit to supporting the Republican nominee, and I won’t commit to supporting him,” Hogan tweeted.

Hogan did not vote for Trump in 2020, instead writing in former President Reagan rather than casting his ballot for President Biden.

Hogan also declined to support the Trump-backed Republican candidate for governor in Maryland last year, instead standing by as soon-to-be Gov. Wes Moore (D) won the election handily.

Hogan has said he is “seriously considering” a run in 2024 and expects to make a decision soon.

He was governor in Maryland, a traditionally blue state, for two terms, where he enjoyed high job approval ratings throughout. 

In 2022, he declined a run for Senate after being courted by GOP leadership.