“Larry Hogan, the Never-Trumper, Only Goes So Far With Never-Trumperism” [Baltimore Sun Staff Commentary]

Republican Larry Hogan’s “never-Trumperism” doesn’t hold water, according to columnist Dan Rodricks at the Baltimore Sun. Hogan has refused to support Kamala Harris for president and “was not up for the fight” “when it came to actually challenging Trump’s policies” as governor. 

Hogan, who was personally recruited by Mitch McConnell and promises to caucus with Republicans, would be the 51st seat the GOP needs to push forward Donald Trump’s agenda.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT.

Baltimore Sun: Staff Commentary: Larry Hogan, the Never-Trumper, only goes so far with Never-Trumperism

By Dan Rodricks

October 22, 2024

• Our former Maryland governor can’t take his Jamais-Trump act to the extreme and endorse Democrat Kamala Harris for president.
• Hogan’s retreat from the choice between Trump and Harris in a hugely important election is pretty much in keeping with the former governor’s record. He frequently engages in both-sides-badism, a simplistic and disingenuous view of politics and governance in the time of Trump. During two terms in Annapolis, Hogan took few risks, generally played it safe and avoided controversy, something that might explain his popularity.
• When it came to actually challenging Trump’s policies, he was not up for a fight.
• With one or two exceptions, he never supported the efforts of then-Attorney General Brian Frosh to sue Trump and the federal government over policies Frosh considered harmful to Marylanders and the country.
• In fact, he generally ignored Frosh’s requests for permission to challenge Trump’s legally dubious executive orders on immigration, public health, the environment and worker rights.
• It took a resolution of the Maryland General Assembly in 2017 to give Frosh the authority he needed to join other attorneys general to stop some of Trump’s most draconian and regressive abuses of executive power, starting with his original Muslim travel ban.
• Republicans talk a lot about “accountability,” but want little of it when it comes to Trump. Even Never-Trumpers only go so far with their Never-Trumperism.

See also: Baltimore Banner: Maryland Democrats say candidate Hogan’s words on Trump don’t match his record

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