Larry Hogan has bucked the trend with his own party since he was elected, due to his active and vocal opposition to former President Donald Trump. Despite disdain from Trump and national criticism as a disloyal RINO, the Republican Governor in the deep blue state of Maryland has been hinting at a White House run for years. He even entertained the idea of challenging Trump in the 2020 GOP Primary. Any objective observer of Hogan’s record would surmise that his odds of winning support of the majority of Republican primary voters are minuscule, but Hogan attitude throughout has mirrored Han’s Solo’s “Never tell me the odds!” mantra in Star Wars.
The odds against Hogan became astronomical following last night’s gubernatorial primary in Maryland. Hogan’s handpicked successor, Commerce Secretary Kelly Schulz, was soundly defeated by Trump-endorsed state delegate Dan Cox by at least a 10-point margin, with 77% of the vote in and the race called by the Associated Press.
Considering the margin of defeat, it should come as no surprise that the Baltimore Sun reached out to a Hogan spokesman for comment but did not hear back. Hogan was in Aspen, Colorado, at a Republican Governors Association event. If Hogan’s endorsement can’t propel a candidate to victory in his own state, then he can’t expect sufficient party support to win over the bulk of Republicans across the country.