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Hogan on Scott’s endorsement of Trump: ‘It’s concerning’

by Filip Timotija - 01/19/24 5:52 PM ET

Former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) on Friday characterized Sen. Tim Scott’s (R-S.C.) expected endorsement of former President Trump as “concerning.”

The former co-chair of No Labels, a nonprofit group attempting to build support for a third-party ticket, said Scott’s decision is not a “huge surprise” and that Trump, in his eyes, is still the weakest nominee Republicans could choose for 2024.

“It’s certainly not good news. It doesn’t come as a huge surprise. It’s concerning,” Hogan said Friday in an interview with contributor Kevin Cirilli of The Hill’s “Daily Debrief.”

“Everybody seems to be getting in line, he’s pretty good at cajoling and threatening and he’s got a lot of power to exercise,” he continued, adding “I just don’t believe that Trump should be anywhere near the White House.”

Hogan, who has been an outspoken critic of the former president, reiterated his vow to not support either Trump or President Biden in November.

The former governor threw his support behind former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley ahead of the Iowa caucuses. Trump ended up winning the Hawkeye State by over 30 points, with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis edging Haley out for second place.

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On Friday, Hogan echoed his belief that Haley is the party’s best chance to overtake the former president.

“I think Nikki Haley is the only one with any shot to stop Donald Trump. I think he’s our weakest possible nominee,” Hogan argued. “The past three elections we’ve done nothing but lose. We lost the White House, the Senate, the governor’s races and state legislative bodies.”

“I think we’ve got to move forward rather than continuing to look backward,” he added.

Scott, who ended his own presidential bid in November, will join Trump at a campaign stop in Concord, N.H., Friday evening. He is expected to endorse the former president at the rally, just days before the New Hampshire primary.

While Trump maintains the lead in the Granite State, Haley is gaining on the former president. She is only trailing Trump by 10.6 percent, according to the polling average from The Hill/Decision Desk HQ.

Both candidates were vying for the senator’s endorsement — as Scott was appointed to his Senate position by Haley in 2012, while she was still governor of South Carolina.

Hogan, who has mulled his own run for president, stepped down from No Labels in December. The third-party group hopes to offer a “unity” bipartisan ticket consisted of two “moderate” candidates.