As a Republican in Maryland, Hogan is trying to thread the needle of distancing himself from President Trump and also simultaneously being a Republican. Personally I hope he wins as he will be head-and-shoulders better than his opponent, Alsobrooks. But I also wish he would shut the hell up about President Trump. Further, I don’t understand him appearing on a national program when his time would be better spent campaigning in Maryland.
It’s all part of the show his advisors tell him to put on so he looks independent of Trump.
I agree I thinks it unnecessary, but these professional politicians are all prisoners of their advisors.