Hogan Visits Switzerland To Attract Businesses To MD, Analysts Predict Presidential Run

DAVOS, SWITZERLAND — In a trip that has politicos wondering about his 2024 presidential plans, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan visited Davos, Switzerland, on Tuesday to participate in the World Economic Forum.

At the global convention, the governor announced a new initiative to attract international businesses looking to enter the U.S. market. (More information on the multimillion-dollar effort is posted at the bottom of this story.)

Hogan's second and final term ends on Jan. 18, 2023. Since he vowed not to run for a seat in Congress, pundits are watching to see if he tests the presidential waters in a fractured Republican Party that also awaits former President Donald Trump's decision on seeking office again.

Potential Presidential Bid

The trip comes as analysts predict that Hogan will run for president in 2024. Hogan pitches himself as a bipartisan Republican who is willing to compromise. He also made headlines with frequent criticisms of Trump.

That has led to high approval ratings in deep-blue Maryland. Registered Democrats outnumber Republicans more than 2 to 1 in the Old Line State.

Though he leads a predominately Democratic state, Hogan maintains a 65 percent approval rating. That's higher than Democratic President Joe Biden's 48 percent approval rating in Maryland, a Goucher College poll suggested.

The March telephone survey of 635 Maryland adults had a margin of error of +/-3.9 percentage points at a confidence interval of 95 percent. That means there is a 95 percent chance that the true approval ratings fall within 3.9 percentage points of what the survey reported. The full results are posted here.

RELATED: Goucher Poll: More Marylanders Support Hogan Than Biden

Hogan is the second Republican governor to be re-elected in Maryland history, his website said.

The governor has dabbled in national and international politics during his tenure.

Most recently, Hogan has supported Ukraine as Russia continues to invade the Eastern European country. He has denounced the "barbarous military assault," attended a prayer service, hosted a vigil and donated medical supplies along with body armor.

The governor also gave a speech earlier this month in California at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. Hogan has pointed to Reagan as an example of how the GOP should reform the party into a coalition with wider appeal. In 2020, Hogan wrote the late Republican in as his presidential vote.

Hogan has also convened an infrastructure summit, led a nationwide bipartisan organization called No Labels, chaired the National Governors Association and published a memoir.

These high-profile moves have drawn speculation about what the governor will do after his term ends.

Hogan announced in February that he won't run for the U.S. Senate in 2022, though he thinks he would beat Democratic incumbent Sen. Chris Van Hollen. The governor is frustrated with the divisiveness and gridlock on Capitol Hill, so he declined the invitation from Republican leaders to run for Congress.

Days later, the governor said on CNN’s “State of the Union” that he would consider running for president only after his current term ends.

Luring Businesses To Maryland

At the World Economic Forum, Hogan unveiled his $2 million investment to lure international businesses to Maryland. This push is called the Global Gateway Initiative. It will connect entrepreneurs with incubators and accelerators to grow their ventures.

The first 50 participating companies will get help with incubator rent costs, business registration and one-on-one counseling. Maryland businesses are also eligible.

“As we continue to have one of the strongest recoveries in the world, we want to be as aggressive as possible and kick this initiative into high gear,” Hogan said in a news release. “Our state is worth the attention and investment of even more international companies, and now we look forward to making it easier than ever to forge closer ties with partners across the globe.”

Click here to learn more about the effort and watch Hogan's speech on the aid.

RELATED:

• In Calif., Hogan Re-Wraps Himself In Reagan's Cloak In Simi Valley Speech
• Goucher Poll: More Marylanders Support Hogan Than Biden
• Gov. Larry Hogan Will Not Run For U.S. Senate
• Maryland Governor Writes In Unique Choice For President: Report
• Hogan To Publish Book, Supporters Push For 2024 Presidential Run

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