Larry Hogan says “neither one of the two candidates has earned my vote” in presidential race

Washington — Former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan said Sunday that neither former President Donald Trump nor Vice President Kamala Harris has earned his vote in the presidential election.

“Neither one of the two candidates has earned my vote, and the voters in the country are going to be able to make that decision,” Hogan said on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan.”

The popular Republican governor, who served from 2015 to 2023, has Trump’s endorsement. But Hogan said he won’t be voting for the former president.

“I didn’t vote for him in 2016 or 2020 and I’ve made that pretty clear,” Hogan said. “I’m willing to put country over party, and I’m hoping that the voters will be willing to do the same thing.”

Hogan is seeking an open seat in the U.S. Senate representing Maryland, facing off against Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks in a race that’s grown unexpectedly competitive in deep-blue Maryland.

The former governor has often set himself apart from his party, being known to criticize Trump. 

“I have a completely separate identity after, you know, being governor for two terms in the bluest state, or one of the blue states in America,” Hogan said Sunday. “I stand up to him, probably more than just about anyone, and I’ll continue to.”

Hogan said Trump’s “divisive rhetoric” is something the nation could do without, while expressing concern about “the toxic and divisive politics” on both sides of the aisle. 

“I’m very concerned and I believe both parties are way off track from what their kind of base core values used to be,” Hogan said, arguing that the Democratic Party has moved too far to the left and the GOP too become “more of a Trump party.” 

And despite Trump’s endorsement, Hogan said he has no interest in appearing with the former president at a campaign rally. 

“I don’t think I will,” Hogan said, when asked whether he would campaign with the former president or even attend a Baltimore Orioles game with him. “He’s not going to really be campaigning in Maryland. But he should go watch a game sometime, yeah — sure.”