Staff Reports
Larry Hogan, the Republican Senate hopeful in Maryland, recently stepped to the podium to deliver a speech that purported to focus on the integrity of democracy 50 years post-Watergate. However, anyone with a pulse and half a brain could sense the underlying narrative: the shadow of Donald Trump loomed large over the event. Though Hogan avoided using the former president’s name like a vampire dodging sunlight, attendees of the Principles First gathering—a so-called center-right alternative to CPAC—knew exactly whom Hogan was referring to.
Hogan started by dishing out criticism aimed squarely at unnamed “so-called leaders,” claiming they spout one line in private and a different tune in public. One might wonder if this was an indirect jab at the former president. The “culture of fear” in the GOP is a convenient scapegoat for Hogan, who is trying to distance himself from Trump’s controversial legacy while still appealing to conservatives. It seems the former governor believes he can ride this wave of discontent straight to the Senate despite being stuck in a deep-blue state where the Democrats have made themselves rather comfortable.
Washington Examiner: Larry Hogan denounces GOP ‘culture of fear’ over Trump https://t.co/xsm6M31yNn
— Ian’s Newsfeed 🇺🇸🇺🇸 (@IanHNewsFeed) September 5, 2024
Despite calling himself an outsider ready to speak the truth, one of Hogan’s primary claims of integrity rests on the fact that he has criticized Trump since that fateful day in 2015 when the former president made his entrance onto the political stage. Before anyone gets too excited, it’s essential to note that Hogan’s self-portrayal as a courageous truth-teller conveniently ignores the fact that his position offers him a slim chance of winning against Maryland’s Democratic heavyweight, Angela Alsobrooks. With polling data showing a competitive race, one can only assume Hogan is hoping to create a sense of nostalgia for traditional conservatism that doesn’t involve Trump.
The crowd at the event, a collection of anti-Trump personalities including ex-Tea Party Rep. Joe Walsh, applauded loudly, making it evident that Hogan’s anti-Trump rhetoric was well-received among the attendees. However, the optics of cozying up to those who openly support Vice President Kamala Harris raise genuine questions about Hogan’s allegiance to the party’s base. In the high-stakes game of politics, it’s clear that attempting to distance himself from Trump may backfire. Hogan surely knows that straying too far from the core principles cherished by rank-and-file Republicans might leave him unanchored in a turbulent sea of blue.
As he pondered the 1970s and the political fallout from Watergate, Hogan lamented about a lack of courage in today’s Washington. One has to wonder whether he sees any irony in his situation. While he may have dished out criticism towards both Republicans aligned with Trump and Democrats like Alsobrooks, his criticisms seem a little self-serving. Riding a wave of nostalgia for what he perceives as lost moral fortitude, Hogan appears trapped in a bind: he needs Trump-style voters to pull through while simultaneously courting those who applauded his distancing from Trump.
As Hogan heads into the race against Alsobrooks, he adopts the classic strategy of trying to play both sides against the middle. Claims about focusing on red, white, and blue over red versus blue may charm some, but the road to victory is paved with clarity and conviction. The political buffet he seems to be trying to create—offering a plate of traditional conservatism with a side of anti-Trump sentiment—might not entice hungry voters craving a solid, unapologetic Republican savior. Instead, it could leave them feeling shortchanged, scratching their heads and wondering if the Hogan who once embraced the principles of the party is truly still at the helm.
