Longtime Trump Critic Says Won't Be Running For President: 'Stakes Are Too High...'

Former Governor of Maryland Larry Hogan thought about running for president in 2024 but decided "the stakes are too high" for him to do so — the moderate Republican is considered a longtime critic of former president Donald Trump.

What Happened: “Right now, you have, you know, Trump and DeSantis at the top of the field — they’re soaking up all the oxygen, getting all the attention,” said Hogan in an interview with CBS News’ Robert Costa.

Referring to Trump and his anticipated rival in the Republican primary, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Hogan said, ”And then a whole lot of the rest of us in single digits, and the more of them you have, the less chance you have for somebody rising up.”

Why It Matters: Hogan hoped that sitting out would make it a little harder for Trump to get that nomination.

He underscored Trump’s dwindling popularity among Republicans’ primary base from 90% to 60% after the Jan. 6 insurrection to about 30% currently.

Even so, Hogan admitted Trump was leading the polls and that he posed a formidable challenge. 

The former governor said the battle between DeSantis and Trump could get “rough” and expressed admiration for former Vice President Mike Pence, another possible 2024 contender.

“I have a tremendous amount of respect for Mike Pence. And I thought he certainly, you know, is the kind of guy — he's full of integrity and experience.”

Hogan isn't the only one who thinks an overcrowded field would work in favor of Trump. Comedian and political commentator Bill Maher said the former president would come out on top if challenged for the Republication presidential nomination by multiple contenders.

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Photo by Maryland GovPics on Wikimedia Commons