Former Maryland Gov. Hogan says GOP should view midterm losses as "teachable moment"
Democrats are celebrating their blue wave victories, but questions remain about whether there will be gridlock in Washington or whether the new Congress will find any common ground with President Trump.
Maryland's former Republican Governor Larry Hogan weighed in Thursday at an event with Democratic former Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe.
Hogan said voters showed their anger over high prices and the Iran War but warned Democrats have to deliver or they will face the same fate as Republicans.
"People were just kind of fed up and wanted change, so they threw out the guys who were in charge on every level," the former Maryland governor said.
Voters angry, demanding change
Hogan believes Democrats' massive victories are less about them and more about outrage with out-of-touch Republicans in Washington, D.C.
"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, a friend and confidant of former president Bill Clinton, agreed that voters were angry.
"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," the Virginia Democrat said.
He had a message about his own party.
"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.
The two said it is possible to find common ground in a divided government. They both did it themselves with state legislatures led by the opposing party.
But Hogan had a warning for those coming into power.
"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," he said.
Impeachment on the table?
Democrats now have to decide how far they will push back against Trump and whether the party will make another run at impeachment, which could fall on Maryland Congressman Jamie Raskin if he takes over leadership of the powerful House Judiciary Committee.
"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 told CNN after the election.
But the Maryland Democrat would not rule out impeaching Trump.
"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.
Hogan on Republicans' future
Hogan said he thinks there is room for dealmaking in a divided Washington, depending on the approach.
"It takes two to make a deal, so the Democrats, how are they going to react? Are they going to come after him and be it's all impeachments and all investigations, or are they going to say we want to get something done because they're responsible just as much now,"
Hogan said. "Before, you couldn't really blame the Democrats. This election, it was all, 'If you're mad, it's Republicans' fault.' Now, Trump can use them as a foil and say it's these crazy Democrats."
Hogan also had a message for fellow Republicans after such a seismic loss.
"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.
Thursday's event was sponsored by the Ronald Reagan Center on Civility and Democracy and the Hogan Institute at Washington College. CBS News' Robert Costa moderated the discussion, which you can watch here.