WASHINGTON, D.C. - Former Maryland Governor Larry Hogan announced Sunday that he won't run for President in 2024.
After saying for over a year that he hadn't yet made up his mind, Hogan said he will continue to be an active voice in the Republican Party.
Hogan broke the news to CBS's Robert Costa on "Face the Nation."
"I was struggling because my heart was telling me to run. My head was telling me no, that this does not make sense for a whole host of reasons. And my gut was flipping back and forth. So it really came down to if I wasn't 100% convinced that I shouldn't do it," he said.
Hogan called the choice the toughest decision of his political career.
The two term Republican Governor was very popular in Maryland, leaving office in January with a 77 percent approval rating, according to Gonzales Maryland.
But Hogan has also been a longtime staunch critic of Former President Donald Trump.
"I didn't want to have a pile up of a bunch of people fighting right now. You have Trump and DeSantis at the top of the field, soaking up all the oxygen, getting all the attention, and then a whole lot of the rest of us in single digits. And the more of them you have, the less chance you have for somebody rising up," he said.
Costa told Margaret Brennan the decision for Hogan ultimately came down to whether his candidacy would help Trump secure the Republican nomination.
"there is this lingering divide between traditional conservative Republicans and the Trump wing of the Republican Party. The former governor said as he looked at the race, he saw a narrow path for Republicans like himself as they look to 2024," Costa said.
Many Republicans spoke on Hogan's decision.
Longtime Hogan ally Chris Christie, the former New Jersey Governor tweeted "He's not running for President but he's not done leading yet. Thank goodness."
While Former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, who is also considering a run told CNN's "State of the Union" that "Larry Hogan is a star. He's governed. Well, in Maryland, elected in a blue state, I think the fact that he indicates he's going to continue to fight in the Republican Party for uh alternatives to Donald Trump in a new direction is a good sign."
Maryland State Senator Stephen Hershey, who represents the Upper Eastern Shore and serves as Maryland's Senate Minority Leader said this is the right move for Hogan.
"I'm hoping we see Governor Hogan continue the fight to bring both sides closer together in some capacity," Senator Hershey said.
Hogan is not saying who he might support, but spoke highly of Trump's Vice President Mike Pence, who has not yet entered the race.
"I have a tremendous amount of respect for Mike Pence. And, uh, and I thought he, uh, certainly, uh, you know, is the kind of guy he's full of integrity and experience," Hogan said.
Hogan ruled out elected office for now, and says he plans to return to the business sector.
As Hogan noted, he's not leaving the spotlight.
In fact, he is scheduled to serve as the "Honorary Grand Marshal" at next weekend's St. Patrick's Day Parade in Ocean City.
