The following is a transcript of an interview with Larry Hogan, former Maryland governor, on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” that aired on Sept. 29, 2024.
ROBERT COSTA: We turn now to the former Republican governor of Maryland, Larry Hogan. Governor Hogan, thanks for being here–
FORMER GOVERNOR LARRY HOGAN: Thank you for having me
ROBERT COSTA: In one of the key Senate races in the country. You are not running alongside former President Donald Trump in your race, but he’s front and center. How are you able to distance yourself, if at all, in such a contested, heated political environment?
HOGAN: Well you know, I think I’ve been one of the leading, kind of, voices of opposition in my party for quite some time, and I’m continuing to do that. We’re actually running 20 or 30 points ahead of Donald Trump in our state. And, you know, I think I have a completely separate identity after, you know, being Governor for two terms in the bluest state or one of the bluest states in America. You know, we have a separate, you know, identity. We- I stand up to him probably more than just about anyone, and I’ll continue to.
ROBERT COSTA: He’s endorsed you, but it’s not like you’ve welcomed that endorsement. But when you go into that voting booth, I know it’s private, but who are you going to vote for?
HOGAN: Well, look, I’ve said neither one of the two candidates has earned my vote, and the voters in the country are going to be able to make that decision. I-
ROBERT COSTA: So there’s no chance you vote for Trump?
HOGAN: I’m not going to. I didn’t vote for him in 2016 or 2020 and I’ve made that pretty clear. But look, I’m not running just for the Republican Party, or they might- you know, it’s not just about red versus blue, which is what my opponent wants it to be about. I’m concerned about the red, white and blue, and I’m, I’m willing to put country over party. And I’m hoping that the voters will be willing to do the same thing.
ROBERT COSTA: I asked retired General McChrystal this about former President Donald Trump, who, in recent days on the campaign trail, has attacked vice president Harris. He’s said she has mental issues. He has said thing after thing, questioning her intelligence, her ability. Do you believe former President Donald Trump is fit for office or not?
HOGAN: Well I think all of that is is outrageous and unacceptable. And I’ve already called him out when he had the one interview where he was questioning her racial identity, and now he’s questioning her mental competence. And I think that’s insulting not only to, the to the Vice President, but to people that actually do have mental disabilities. And, you know, I’ve said for years that Trump’s divisive rhetoric is something that we could do without. I think he’s his own worst enemy. And I think, you know, I’m very concerned about the toxic and divisive politics that seems to continue really back and forth. It’s what people are so fed up with. It’s why they want to change Washington, and it’s why I’m running.
ROBERT COSTA: When you were governor, you have often said you did not try to go against abortion rights in any significant way. But the US Senate’s a totally different place than being governor. As you know, yes, if you’re elected to the United States Senate this November, would you support eliminating the filibuster to secure abortion rights?
HOGAN: Well, I’m going to, on day one, support the compromise bill to secure Roe and protect abortion rights all across the country, so that no, no one ever comes between a woman and her doctor. I’m not I don’t agree with both my opponent and Donald Trump about trying to do away with the filibuster–
ROBERT COSTA: Why not?
HOGAN: So we can jam things through on a partisan basis, on one vote, so we can have the pendulum swing back and forth and create more divisiveness. I think we need to find buy in and and bipartisan cooperation, just as I did and in a state that has a 70% Democratic legislature, but we did things like cut taxes and lower the cost of healthcare and to pass a criminal justice reform act. We have to find a way to get people in Washington to stop just name calling, stop trying to jam things through on the left or the right. And the filibuster allows, it requires- bipartisan cooperation and consensus, and that’s exactly what I think we desperately need in Washington.
ROBERT COSTA: But what do you say to that blue, that democratic voter in Maryland, who says I liked you as two terms as governor, I’m a Democrat, but I voted for you, but I need you to go further on abortion rights than saying I’m not going to touch the filibuster?They want you to break the filibuster.
HOGAN: Well, I’m not sure there are too many of those. Look, I’m very supportive of women’s right to make those decisions. Not to come between a woman or doctor. I’m going to sponsor a bill on protecting Roe. I’m going to sponsor a bill on IVF. I ran for governor promising that I would not change that I would, would not do anything to limit access to abortion. I kept that promise for eight years, and I’m now promising them again that I’m going to fight for that when I’m in the United States Senate.
ROBERT COSTA: If you are in the United States Senate, what kind of Republican Party would you be part of? You always have cast yourself in our conversations over the years as a traditional Republican. You’ve praised former President Ronald Reagan. It’s Trump’s party.
HOGAN: Well, you know, that’s one of the reasons why I’m running. You know, I think we need to get- get the country back on track. I’m standing up- I’ll stand up to the current president, the former president or the next president when I think they’re wrong. I’ll work with them when I think they’re right. I’ll stand up to the Democratic Party and the Republican Party. It’s what I’ve done my entire career. I’ve been a leading voice in America to try to do something about this, you know, very divided country where all we do is fight with one another and nothing ever gets done. I’m a guy that likes to get things done. I like- you know, I’ll work across the aisle in a bipartisan way, as I did for the past eight years and I think that’s- that’s what we really need in Washington. I think it’s what most people want.
ROBERT COSTA: But is it possible? And looking at your own record, you- you thought about, flirted with a possible No Labels or Independent run for president over the past year or so and former Congresswoman Liz Cheney, for example, from Wyoming, a Republican, she’s broken with Trump. She recently suggested, as I’m sure you’ve heard, that there- it might be time for a new party. Do you believe that’s right? Is it maybe time for the traditional Republicans, the non-Trump Republicans to say ‘Enough. Time for something new’?
HOGAN: Well, I’m not willing to give up. You know, I really believe that a healthy and competitive two party system is important for- for our country. I’m very concerned that I believe my- both parties are way off track from what they- their- their- their kind of base core values used to be. I think the Democratic Party is moving too far to the left. I think the Republican Party has, as you said, become more of a Trump party, but I’m not willing to give up. It’s why I’m running. It’s also why I stepped up. You know, I got in this race when the bipartisan deal fell apart to secure the border, supply support and funding for Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan, and people voted against it because they didn’t want to give a bipartisan win. My whole emphasis has been about how we find consensus, how we find common ground for the common good. And that’s- that’s what I based my whole career on. And so I’m hoping that the voters will actually want that kind of leadership in Washington. If they decide just another partisan, you know, rubber stamp politician, and they just want to vote based on red or blue. I’m not going to be in the Senate, but if they want to change Washington, I think I’m exactly the kind of person that can make a difference.
ROBERT COSTA: If former President Donald Trump calls you up on the phone in the next few weeks and says, ‘Larry, I’d like to go to an Orioles game with you, then maybe have a campaign rally.’ Would you appear with Trump in- in Maryland?
HOGAN: No, I don’t think I will. I don’t think he’s going to spend much time in Maryland, because he’s- he’s down, you know, by about 30 points. And you know, he’s not going to really be campaigning in Maryland, but he should, you know, he should go watch a game sometime. Yeah, sure.
ROBERT COSTA: There’s no, you have no interest in appearing with him at all?
HOGAN: No.
ROBERT COSTA: And you’ve served with- finally, here, we’re all looking forward to seeing Margaret do the vice presidential debate with Norah on Tuesday night on CBS. You know Governor Tim Walz. You were governors together.
HOGAN: Yeah
ROBERT COSTA: Is he a strong debater? Are you looking forward to seeing what he does? And do you like him?
HOGAN: You know, I’ve never- I’ve never seen him debate, but look, I think it’s everybody’s going to be interested to tune in. I’m just hopeful that in this debate we can have a real healthy debate on the issues that people care about. You know, people are concerned about the economy and inflation, affordability. They’re concerned about crime and the border. Hopefully those candidates will talk about it, instead of just typical politics.
ROBERT COSTA: Governor Larry Hogan, thank you for being here, running for Senate in Maryland. We’ll be right back. Thank you.