CNN —
Maryland Republican Senate candidate Larry Hogan touted support from Donald Trump in a call to private donors, after repeatedly saying he didn’t want the president’s support, calling on the former president’s “hard-core” He suggested that it would be a form of support for his supporters.
In a call Wednesday, a local Republican donor asked Hogan about the public perception that he and Trump “hate each other.” The former Maryland governor revealed that he did in fact have President Trump’s support, according to a video of the call obtained exclusively by CNN.
“Donald Trump actually supported me,” Hogan interrupted the donor, repeating, “Donald Trump actually supported me.”
Hogan was a popular Republican governor during Trump’s first term in the White House, but he often clashed with the former president and at one point considered a primary challenge to him. And the relationship between the two became a major issue in this year’s Senate election.
“Governor Hogan was responding to a question about whether he and former President Trump ‘hate’ each other. Governor Hogan rejects the concept of hatred in politics and intends to work with whoever is elected.” spokesperson Blake Kernen said in a statement to CNN.
“As he said in the same response, he will always remain his own independent voice, even if it angers some members of his party. As he reiterated yesterday on CNN, Trump “I have no intention of supporting the former president,” he said in a statement.
Hogan touts support for Trump after previously refusing to do so
The Maryland Senate race, once considered a sure bet for Democrats, became more competitive this year with Hogan jumping into the race, but ahead of Nathan L. Gonzalez and Inside Elections. According to race ratings, the Democratic Party is still likely to win. Hogan was personally scouted by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell as an independent-minded centrist who could compete in blue states like Maryland. He will face Democratic candidate Angela Allsbrooks on next week’s ballot.
Hogan said during a fundraising conference call that while most Maryland Republicans already support him, “a small percentage” of Trump supporters were upset with Hogan for his anti-Trump comments. He said he might be feeling it. And that’s where Trump’s support comes into play, he suggested.
“A small number, about 4 percent of the population, are die-hard Trump supporters who may be angry at people because I didn’t support Trump,” he said, adding that they are in the Maryland Senate race. The alternative is “Far-left Democrats who oppose everything they believe in.”
Hogan then told Trump supporters, “Trump came forward and supported me, so I want the hardcore people to know that.”
Hogan repeatedly said during the campaign that he would not seek Trump’s endorsement and would not accept it if Trump tried. The former Maryland governor did not vote for Trump in 2016 or 2020, and said he would not vote for either Trump or Democratic candidate Kamala Harris in November.
After President Trump endorsed Hogan this summer, Hogan told CNN’s Jake Tapper in early September that he “refused” to endorse Trump.
“When he tried to endorse me, I actually refused to endorse him. I don’t support him and I’m not going to appear with him,” Trump said in an interview at a campaign event. When asked if he would perform with the president, Hogan said:
Hogan told WTOP in June, shortly after endorsing Trump, that he thought his campaign had “no interest whatsoever in accepting the endorsement.”
“It’s not something we advertise, that’s for sure,” Hogan told WTOP.
