Trump-endorsed candidate slams Republican nominee for refusing to back Ukraine

Ex-Maryland governor is trying to separate himself from Trump as he runs for Senate in heavily Democratic state

Donald Trump-endorsed Republican senate candidate Larry Hogan attempted to further distance himself from the Republican presidential nominee by criticizing the ex-president for refusing to say whether he wants Ukraine to defeat Russia.

Speaking at a campaign press conference at the Washington headquarters of the Jewish Institute for National Security of America, Hogan, the former Maryland governor running for US Senate, slammed Trump for exhibiting what he described as a “lack of moral clarity” during his debate with Vice President Kamala Harris last month.

“In the last debate, President Trump refused to answer whether he wanted Ukraine to win this war, and he has repeatedly threatened to abandon our NATO allies and our allies in Asia. This lack of moral clarity is dangerous and invites more aggression from our enemies,” he said.

Larry Hogan has said he won’t be voting for Trump even as he runs for Senate as a Republican. Now, he has slammed Donald Trump for the former president’s stance on Ukraine (Getty Images)

Hogan, who most polls show is closely trailing but within striking distance of Democrat Angela Alsobrooks in the race to be the next senator from the Old Line State, told reporters he would use the Senate seat he hopes to win to “work every day to strengthen United States military capabilities” and “strengthen NATO and our allies” because doing so is “the only way to secure a peaceful and prosperous future.”

“So let me be clear where I stand: Ukraine must win this war against Russia, and in the Senate, I will lead the fight to give them the support that they need, not just to hold off Russia, but to prevail in the Senate,” he said.

Hogan added that he would “never hesitate to stand up to be isolationists in both parties” — despite the fact that the push to end support for Ukraine has come entirely from the Trump-aligned wing of his own party — and pledged to “work every single day to make our alliances stronger, regardless of the political consequences.”