Once considered a presidential hopeful, former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan says he won’t run for political office in the future and is instead looking to shape the nation’s future leaders.
“I’m done running for office, but I’m still very interested in continuing to stay involved and trying to make a difference,” Hogan told WTOP’s Nick Iannelli.
During the college’s commencement ceremony Sunday, the longtime Republican politician announced the launch of the Hogan Institute at Washington College, a nonpartisan initiative aimed at leadership development, civil discourse and problem solving.
The initiative will be influenced by Hogan’s work across party lines and his “pragmatic, common-sense leadership,” according to the college’s website. The programming is centered around George Washington’s philosophies on democracy that have guided the nation since its founding 250 years go.
“I’m going to focus on the things I’ve spent a lot of my public life working on: strengthening democracy, restoring decency and I want to kind of prove that the bonds that hold us together are stronger than the forces that seek to tear us apart,” Hogan said.
Hogan’s decision to step away from running for political office comes after his loss to Sen. Angela Alsobrooks, who won the U.S. Senate seat in 2024. Meanwhile, the Republican Party continues to be led by President Donald Trump, whom Hogan has spoken out against repeatedly. At times, it’s been difficult for Republicans who oppose Trump to win political office.
When asked whether he expects the party to move back toward his political views, Hogan said “time will tell.”
“I have thought that we would have moved beyond that already at this point, but we have not,” he continued. “It depends on, I think, how bad the losses are this November, and whether or not we lose the White House in two years or not.”
The hope is that the Hogan Institute will help prepare the next generation of leaders for public service through workshops, seminars and public forums.
“I think the vast majority of Americans are frustrated. They believe our political system is broken. They believe that Washington is dysfunctional,” Hogan said. “And they can either give up on it or they can continue to try to make a difference. And that’s what we’re going to try to teach some of these young people to do.”
The institute will kick off programming in the fall, according to the college.
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