Former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan has endorsed former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley for the GOP presidential nomination, shutting down rumors the anti-Trump Republican would make a third-party run for the workplace himself.
Hogan’s endorsement on Sunday comes simply someday earlier than the Iowa caucuses, the place the 2024 presidential candidates will attempt to persuade the state’s voters to decide on them because the celebration’s consultant within the basic election. With the caucuses serving because the celebration’s first major occasion, candidates hope a excessive rating in Iowa will propel them ahead for the rest of the race.
Speaking on CNN’s “State of the Union,” Hogan mentioned he thinks it’s “pretty clear” Trump will take first place within the Iowa caucuses. The last pre-caucus Des Moines Register/NBC News ballot confirmed that just about half the responders who take into account themselves doubtless caucus-goers plan to help the indicted former president, whereas Haley sits at 20% and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis at 16%.
“I think that’s not a big surprise. I don’t think it matters that much because, for the past 24 years, the winner of the Republican Caucus in Iowa has not been the nominee,” he mentioned. “So it’s really about the fight for second place, and Ron DeSantis has put all the marbles on Iowa and spent all of his time and money, and seems to be going in the wrong direction.”
The former Maryland governor harassed that he believes Haley has the momentum to turn into the Republican Party’s nominee in November. Second place in Iowa on Monday night time could lead on her to doubtlessly win subsequent week’s major in New Hampshire, the place Hogan mentioned she’s solely trailing behind Trump by single digits.
“I think that that’s a real possibility, if she could potentially come in second place in Iowa, move on to New Hampshire,” he mentioned. “It’s possible she could win, which would put her in a much better position when she moves into her home state of South Carolina.”
Hogan has turn into one in every of Donald Trump’s fiercest critics, declining final 12 months to run for the GOP nomination if it meant one other candidate might have a greater likelihood at difficult the previous president in 2024. The former governor has mentioned that he didn’t vote for Trump up to now two presidential elections.
Last month, Hogan stirred hypothesis that he might enter the race when he resigned as co-chair of the third-party motion No Labels. Hogan informed The Associated Press of his resignation simply someday after former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who can also be vocally against Trump, bowed out of the Republican major race.
“I have been saying since last spring, when I made the decision not to run, that I really did not want to see a multi-car pile-up that would just enable Donald Trump. I think we want to have the strongest possible nominee in November,” Hogan mentioned. “Polls show that that is Nikki Haley ― that she’s 17 points ahead of Joe Biden, and it’s a tossup with Trump and Biden, and DeSantis is losing.”
“So yes, I think it’s time for the party to get behind Nikki Haley,” he continued. “My friend Chris Christie dropped out of the race in New Hampshire. I appreciate his effort. But I believe that Nikki Haley is the strongest chance for us to put forth our best possible candidate for November.”
