Former Maryland Republican Gov. Larry Hogan has warned Democrats not to take their recent election victories for granted, saying the party must deliver on its promises or risk facing a similar backlash from voters in the next election.
Speaking Thursday at an event alongside former Virginia Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe, Hogan said the election results reflected widespread frustration with rising prices, the Iran war, and dissatisfaction with the political leadership in Washington.
Hogan said voters were looking for change and held Republicans responsible for the country’s political divisions and ongoing problems. However, he cautioned that Democrats could face the same consequences if they fail to meet voters’ expectations.
“People were just kind of fed up and wanted change, so they threw out the guys who were in charge on every level,” Hogan said.
Hogan Says Voters Were Frustrated With Washington
Hogan argued that Democrats’ election victories were driven largely by public frustration with Republicans rather than overwhelming support for the Democratic Party.
He said voters were expressing dissatisfaction with Washington politics, political divisions, and what he described as government dysfunction.
“Folks were frustrated. It was just as much of a repudiation of Washington and politics-as-usual and the divisiveness and dysfunction as it was Trump. Trump deserves a lot of blame. He always likes to take all the credit for everything. He has to take the credit for this election,” Hogan said.
McAuliffe agreed that voters were frustrated and wanted elected officials to focus on addressing their concerns rather than political disagreements.
“People are sick of it. They want action. They don’t give a damn if you’re a Democrat or a Republican. They don’t. They’re hurting. They’ve now got hope,” McAuliffe said.
The former Virginia governor also reminded Democrats that their election victories came because voters rejected the Republican leadership, not necessarily because Democrats had already earned widespread approval.
“We didn’t win it. They lost it. Now, we’ve got the keys. This is a really important time for us to get things done. They put their hope in us,” McAuliffe said.
Hogan Warns Democrats Against Repeating Republican Mistakes
Despite their political differences, Hogan and McAuliffe agreed that Democrats and Republicans could find common ground, even when government is divided.
Both former governors pointed to their experiences working with state legislatures controlled by the opposing party as examples of how political cooperation can produce results.
However, Hogan warned Democrats against interpreting their election victories as permission to pursue whatever policies they want without considering the concerns of voters.
“Democrats are going to have to watch out because they may overread their mandate just like my side did and act as they if they can do whatever stuff they want. In two years, if they don’t deliver on their promises, they’ll have the same result,” Hogan said.
His comments highlighted the challenge facing Democrats as they prepare to take on greater responsibility in Washington.
Could Democrats Pursue Another Trump Impeachment?
Another major question facing Democrats is how aggressively they will challenge President Donald Trump and whether impeachment could become part of their congressional agenda.
Maryland Congressman Jamie Raskin could play an influential role in that discussion if he takes over leadership of the powerful House Judiciary Committee.
Following the election, Raskin told CNN that Republicans might actually benefit politically if Democrats pursued another impeachment effort.
“We’d be doing them a favor. That’s why it’s the Republicans who keep bringing it up. They would love us to impeach him. That would solve a huge political problem for them,” Raskin said.
However, he did not completely rule out impeachment.
“Are we taking it off the table? No way are we taking it off the table, but are we obsessed with it the way Donald Trump is? No, not at all,” Raskin said.
His remarks suggest Democrats may consider several ways to challenge Trump’s administration while deciding which issues deserve the most attention.
Hogan Urges Republicans to Learn From Election Losses
Hogan also addressed the future of the Republican Party, warning that the party must recognize why voters turned against it.
He said Republicans should treat the election results as an opportunity to reconsider their political approach and make changes before the 2028 presidential election.
“If they don’t learn their lessons, they’ll have no chance in 2028, and they’re going to be in the wilderness for a long time. Take this as a teachable moment saying we have to hit rock bottom and then do things differently. Then, we’ve got a chance to go back and help. We can because I think monopolies aren’t good in any case,” Hogan said.
Hogan also emphasized that cooperation in Washington will depend on both parties being willing to negotiate. He warned that Democrats could give Trump and Republicans a political advantage if they focus entirely on investigations and impeachment rather than working on legislation.
“It takes two to make a deal,” Hogan said, adding that Democrats will now share responsibility for what happens in Washington.
The Thursday discussion was sponsored by the Ronald Reagan Center on Civility and Democracy and the Hogan Institute at Washington College. CBS News’ Robert Costa moderated the conversation.
Watch the full discussion: CBS News event on YouTube
Original Source: CBS News Baltimore – Former Maryland Gov. Hogan Says GOP Should View Midterm Losses as Teachable Moment
