Former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) said being on the same ballot as former President Trump in Maryland would be a “big challenge” in November, days after announcing his run for the state’s open Senate seat.

Hogan has been a staunch Trump critic within the GOP and previously flirted with running for president, either as a Republican alternative to Trump or as third-party candidate. Hogan announced his Senate run Friday, setting up a tough fight for the seat held by retiring Sen. Ben Cardin (D).

“Well, it’s a big challenge,” Hogan said during an interview on CNN’s “Inside Politics” Wednesday morning, asked about appearing on the same ticket as Trump, who lost to President Biden by 33 points in Maryland in 2020.

But Hogan said he is not “running as Donald Trump.”

“I think you probably know: I was the probably the most outspoken critic in our party standing up to him. And I’m really — I’m not running for the Republican Party or for any candidate for president,” Hogan continued. “I decided to run to kind of stand up and fight for the people of Maryland and fight against the broken politics in Washington.”

The former national co-chair of No Labels has heavily criticized other GOP candidates running for the White House over their unconditional support for Trump, who faces multiple criminal trials in the coming months.

Hogan, who endorsed former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, the only major challenger to Trump left in the GOP primary, called Sen. Tim Scott’s (R-S.C.) endorsement of the former president “concerning.”

Hogan is the favorite on the GOP side in the Senate race. Rep. David Trone (D-Md.) and Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks (D) are the leading candidates for the Democratic nomination.

Hogan has ramped up his national political activity as his time as governor wrapped up.

His nonprofit advocacy group, An America United Inc., raked in more than $975,000 while spending close to $1.8 million in 2022, a year when he was not running for office, according to 990 tax forms reviewed by The Hill.

That included ads highlighting his moderate stances and criticism of both parties.

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