Larry Hogan, the former governor of Maryland and a prominent moderate Republican, has left the field of potential presidential candidates in 2024, warning that a “stack” of contenders could smooth Donald Trump’s path to the nomination.
Hogan’s decision came a day after Trump said he was ready for his own “last battle” to win back the White House next year, in a long and rambling speech before conservative activists and supporters outside Washington.
Trump has announced plans to seek a new term as president. Other confirmed contenders to lead the Republican ticket include Nikki Haley, the former US ambassador to the UN, and Vivek Ramaswamy, an anti-ESG fundraiser.
But Hogan said too many Republican candidates would only help the former president, as happened in 2016 when GOP rivals mounted a divided and ineffective opposition to Trump.
“There are some competent Republican leaders who have the potential to step up and lead. But the stakes are too high for me to risk being part of another car pile-up that could help Mr. Trump win back the nomination,” Hogan said in a statement on Sunday.
He also issued a warning to his party not to accept “angry, divisive or performative politics” and abandon “conservative principles of limited government and America’s role as leader of the free world”.
Ron DeSantis, the governor of Florida, used to be considered the most politically viable alternative to Trump, and has prepared for the run, including a visit to Ronald Reagan’s presidential library in California.
Other potential Republican candidates in 2024 include Mike Pence, the former vice president; Mike Pompeo, former secretary of state; Tim Scott, South Carolina senator; and Chris Sununu, governor of New Hampshire.
According to the latest tracking poll of the 2024 Republican primary battle by Morning Consult released last week, Trump is still in command, with 48 percent of voters choosing him for the nomination, 30 percent choosing DeSantis, and the other candidates down to one. – digit support.
But Sununu, speaking on NBC on Sunday, seemed convinced that Republican voters were looking for a different option.
“[Trump] will not be nominated. It’s just not going to happen,” said Sununu, who is considered the most moderate contender.
“He is a famous commodity for every American in this country. . . he only has a path, and then there are others, the majority of the party who are looking for an alternative,” he said.
Still, Trump’s grip on a significant portion of the Republican base was evident Saturday at the Conservative Political Action Conference, a bastion of support for his 2024 bid.
A poll taken at the event found 62 percent of attendees favored Trump for the Republican nomination, compared to 20 percent for DeSantis, who did not speak at the conference.
“In 2016, I said I was your vote,” Trump said. “Today, I add: I am your soldier. I am your justice. And for those who were persecuted and betrayed: I am your revenge.”
Trump also indicated that he will remain in the race even if he faces criminal charges related to a series of state and federal investigations.
The increasingly heated battle for the Republican nomination comes as US president Joe Biden prepares to announce his own re-election bid.
So far, Biden is not expected to face a major challenge for the Democratic nomination, although Marianne Williamson, the author, announced over the weekend that she will make another bid for the White House, as she did in 2020.