Larry Hogan endorses Nikki Haley for the Republican Party presidential nomination
Former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, a moderate Republican who decided last year not to enter the party's presidential primary but has not ruled out a third-party run, endorsed Nikki Haley on Sunday as the state's anti-Trump minority Republican party gathered around her. .
“I think it's time for the party to rally behind Nikki Haley,” Mr. Hogan said on CNN's State of the Union.
He explained his support entirely in terms of opinion polls.
“Ron DeSantis has put all the marbles on Iowa and spent all his time and money, and it seems to be going in the wrong direction,” said Mr. Hogan, who has been a prominent critic of Mr. Trump. “I think Nikki Haley has all the momentum. And what this race is really about is trying to nominate the strongest possible nominee for November. I am confident that the momentum lies with Nikki Haley.”
When the host, Jake Tapper, asked if that was an endorsement, Mr. Hogan said, “I think we want the strongest possible nominee in November. Polls show that's Nikki Haley.”
As DeSantis' poll numbers have fallen, a number of prominent Republicans who want someone other than former President Donald J. Trump on the ballot in November have urged like-minded voters to rally behind Ms. Haley. Gov. Chris Sununu of New Hampshire endorsed her last month and major donors are also flocking to her.
Supporters of Ms. Haley hope she can push Mr. DeSantis out of the race if she beats him for second in Iowa. A new poll published on Saturday evening shows that she is narrowly ahead of him.
Mr. DeSantis has poured millions of dollars into Iowa and won the support of the governor and influential evangelical leader Bob Vander Plaats. A third-place finish would be a big blow and put him in trouble heading into New Hampshire.
A second-place finish for Ms. Haley — even if miles behind Mr. Trump — could lift her to New Hampshire, where the former president's lead is smaller. And after New Hampshire, the focus of the race shifts to her home state of South Carolina.
Mr. Hogan recently stepped down from a leadership position at the group No Labels, which is seeking access to ballots for a third-party candidate, prompting speculation that he was preparing for an election. In the CNN interview, he did not completely rule out that this would happen if Republicans nominated Mr. Trump; he said No Labels would “wait and see if we are left with these two bad choices,” referring to Mr. Trump and President Biden.
“I wouldn't want to be associated with anything that would be a spoiler for Donald Trump or Joe Biden,” he said, but added: “We'll just have to wait and see.”