Former Gov. Larry Hogan (R-MD) said Wednesday on CNN’s “Situation Room” that Republican presidential primary candidates should be willing to criticize former President Donald Trump or get out of the race.
Anchor Wolf Blitzer asked, “You released an op-ed in Newsweek about what’s going on, and in part, you write this. ‘In a party of principle, if you are unwilling to challenge the front-runner, then you have no business being in the race.’ Trump won’t be there, but do you expect the candidates to challenge him tonight?”
Hogan said, “I think a couple at least well challenge him. Chris Christie and Asa Hutchinson, two of my former colleagues, I think they’re former U.S. attorneys, prosecutors, who have already been willing to stand up and criticize Trump. ”
He added, “We’re going to have to see who else is going to have the courage to stand up. Some of them have not been willing to do that so far.”
He continued, “Look, I really don’t believe you should be challenging Trump if you’re not willing to challenge Trump.”
Hogan concluded, “I think if people are just going to, if they’re not going to be leaders and they’re going to be cheerleaders, they have no business being in the race, and they shouldn’t be running.”
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