Hogan says Trump’s control over Republicans ‘definition of insanity’

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) levied blistering attacks against former President Trump on Sunday after Democrats were projected to win the Senate majority, squarely pinning the blame for Republican losses on the former president’s influence.

“I think it’s basically the third election in a row that Donald Trump has cost us the race, and it’s like three strikes, you’re out,” Hogan said during an appearance on CNN’s “State of the Union” with co-anchor Dana Bash.

“Well, do you think that’s true? Because we have heard that after one strike and two strikes, to keep your analogy going,” Bash responded.

“Well, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, expecting a different result,” Hogan replied. “And Donald Trump kept saying, we’re going to be winning so much, we will get tired of winning. I’m tired of losing. I mean, that’s all he’s done.” 

Hogan, a moderate Republican with high approval ratings in the solidly blue state, will be succeeded by Democrat Wes Moore, who won Tuesday’s contest over Republican Dan Cox.

Hogan declined to endorse Cox, who was backed by Trump during his primary, calling him not “mentally stable” weeks after Cox won the party’s nomination.

Democrats are projected to keep their majority in the Senate while political power in the House remains to be determined.

Describing the former president as Republicans’ “800-pound gorilla,” Hogan said a “whole lot more people” are now joining him in his warning about the Trump-wing of the GOP.

“This should have been a huge red wave,” Hogan told Bash. “It should have been one of the biggest red waves we have ever had, because President Biden’s approval rating was so low, one of the lowest historically, more than 70 percent of people thought the country was going in the wrong direction. And yet we still didn’t perform.”

Eyes are now turning to Tuesday evening, when Trump has teased a “special announcement” at his Mar-a-Lago property in Florida, which is widely expected to be his announcement for another White House bid.

Hogan himself is a rumored 2024 GOP contender, a characterization he did not deny during Sunday’s appearance.

“I have been saying since 2020 that we have to get back to a party that appeals to more people, that can win in tough places, like I have done in Maryland,” Hogan said on CNN. “And I think that lane is much wider now than it was a week ago.”