The people who wouldn't overturn the election or buy into the big lie are being attacked. Hogan called on Trump to resign following the Capitol siege, but he said it was a real problem for the party.
The governor is concerned that Trump's revenge campaign against Republicans could undermine the party by pushing candidates through primaries who won't be viable in the general election. In Georgia, Hogan claimed that by attacking Kemp and endorsing a primary challenger, Trump is going toelect a Democrat as governor.
Hogan argued that the endorsement of Baker by Trump contributed to his decision to forgo reelection. Baker, a popular figure in Massachusetts whose retirement could well hand the governor's mansion to Democrats in November, has insisted he wasn't "shaken" by Trump's involvement in the race.
The governor said that Trump's attacks on Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey had undermined the GOP's prospects of recruiting him into the Senate race against Mark Kelly, potentially robbing the party of a top-tier candidate in a contest that could determine control of the chamber.
I think the biggest threat to Republican success next year is Trump, and he wants to ruin these races. Hogan argued that asking people to swear blind allegiance to Trump is going to cause some races to lose.
He said that he was trying to do his part to contain the damage.
Hogan has hosted events for Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp.
The race to succeed Hogan is also playing host to a proxy battle between the governor and the former president. While Hogan has thrown his support to former state commerce secretary Kelly Schulz, Trump is backing Dan Cox, a state delegate who has railed against mask mandates. Trump called Hogan a "RINO", an acronym for Republican In Name Only, in his statement endorsing Cox.
