The most high-profile Republican politician currently weighing a challenge to President Donald Trump is shopping around a book that would raise his profile and introduce his life story to Americans.
Multiple sources with direct knowledge told The Daily Beast that Maryland’s Republican governor Larry Hogan has met with major publishers in recent weeks, pitching a book about his life and tenure as governor. All of this while he travels to more than a dozen key states to generate buzz about a possible run against Trump.
If the book is sold, it will be co-written by former Fox News liberal pundit Ellis Henican, who recently co-wrote former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s book. In a phone call on Wednesday, Henican confirmed that although nothing has been sold yet, the governor has definitely taken “initial” steps toward publishing a book.
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“I think the guy’s got an amazing story and he ought to write a book, and I’m doing what I can to try and make that happen,” he said.
According to sources with direct knowledge, the book would not explicitly set the stage for a Hogan presidential campaign or zero in on his criticisms of President Trump.
Instead, Henican emphasized, the 62-year-old governor’s life story (he survived non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma), background in business and politics, and compelling family history (Hogan’s father was a notable Republican congressman) would be highlighted for the memoir.
However, he added, the book would like also include “a very sharp appraisal of the president.” Hogan’s office declined to comment.
One of the most popular governors in the country, Hogan has repeatedly said he’s considering a campaign for president, and he has taken steps that have widely been interpreted as precursors to a run against Trump
He has admonished the Republican National Committee for making it more difficult for party members to mount a 2020 primary challenge to Trump in 2020, and called on Republican lawmakers to appeal to voters beyond the party’s “shrinking base.” In a Tuesday speech in New Hampshire, a key early primary state, the Republican governor said he has visited 10 states and plans to visit 16 more in the coming months.
“People have asked me to give this some serious thought, and I think I owe it to them to give it serious consideration,” Hogan said, referring to challenging Trump.
Hogan has been one of the most prominent Republican elected officials to criticize the president.
During Tuesday’s speech, Hogan mockingly referred to Trump as “dear leader,” and said many Republican members of Congress refuse to criticize the president because they’re afraid of him.
“There’s no profiles in courage here,” he said. “They’re afraid of being primaried. They’re afraid of being tweeted about.”
But he’s acknowledged the difficulties in challenging Trump, who remains overwhelmingly popular with Republicans.
“I’m not going to launch some kind of suicide mission,” he said on Tuesday, according to Politico. “I care about the future of my party, I care about the country but I would not run just to be a spoiler to the president. I’ve got a state to run.”
