Why not Hogan? He seems to be a Republican of the future. He was able to win in a normally solid blue state. Given1. If Trump runs as an independent that could pull votes from the GOP, but I don't see Trump wasting time and money on a 3rd party run if he loses in the primaries. I won't vote for him, but he still has a huge following.Decided in the primaries? What if the loser decides on an independent run? As the months go on more and more people will realize how we've been basically abused for the last 4 years and Trump's popularity in the party will drop from the current 70+% to 50% or less. Given that, there exists and existential dilemma for the party. The almost 30% of those with anti-Trump feelings in the party will only grow, as fearless Republicans like Gov. Hogan of MD and others battle for the soul of the party.If there is a "civil war" in the GOP it will be a very short one decided in the primaries. Trump converted the GOP from the Chamber of Commerce's "globalist - China First" party to the "Populist - America First" party. In 2020 the CofC and the AFL-CIO teamed up to beat Trump, and elected Xiden.The operative word here is 'usually'. All bets are off, if there's a civil war going on in the party.The party in power usually loses seats in congress. Look for the GOP to be winning back the house and senate in up coming elections.
Xiden is a job killing machine. Now the democrats are the "China First -Globalist" party.
Energy jobs got hit first. Now Joe has "open borders" so there will be even more people looking for fewer jobs.
in 2022 mid-terms the GOP will take the House back. Then in 2024 it will be Kamala against a non-Trump Republican.
By that time the energy woes will kick-in and the GOP will be back in the driver's seat. No worries about the GOP. The democrats will be having their own "civil war" between "the squad" and moderates.
2. Don't confuse those of us who want to move past Trump to Never-Trumpers. Never-Trumpers are hated. They may as well register as democrats.
3. The 2024 primaries will settle which direction the GOP will go. IMHO the "America First Populists" will keep control. No one wants to be "loser conservatives" like McCain and Romney again.
4. My 2024 list of presidential candidates "on stage" to run against Kamala are:
Mike Pence
Ted Cruz
Mike Pompeo
Nikki Haley
Tom Cotton
Kristi Noem
Jim Jordan
Ron Desantis
Not Hogan, Rubio, Christie, Graham, or any Trump.
that he can get Democrats to vote for him, including me, it would seem that he's the answer to the Republicans' demographic problem of an overly old, overly male, overly white voter base.