6-6-2023 (NEW YORK) Mike Pence has officially filed to run for president in 2024, intensifying the competition between the Republican Party’s previous president and vice president as they both vie for the GOP nomination. Pence, who had hinted at his intention to enter the race for months, faces the challenge of overcoming Trump’s popularity within the Republican primary electorate. He must convince voters that he is a superior choice to the man he ardently supported before their relationship fractured after the 2020 election.
The former vice president is scheduled to launch his campaign with an event in Iowa on Wednesday, followed by a CNN town hall in Des Moines later that evening. Pence enters the race with strong name recognition, having served as vice president in the Trump administration for four years. Prior to that, he was a congressman and the governor of Indiana. His team believes that his extensive conservative track record will resonate with voters focused on key issues.
Pence enjoys the support of the super PAC, Committed to America, which launched in mid-May. The PAC is co-chaired by former Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas) and seasoned GOP consultant Scott Reed. Bobby Saparow, who successfully managed Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp’s (R) reelection campaign in 2022, serves as the executive director of the group.
While Pence consistently polls behind Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) among Republican primary voters, he is also trailing former Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, who entered the race in February. A CNN poll released in late May revealed that Pence was the first choice of only 6 percent of Republican and Republican-leaning primary voters, with Trump leading at 53 percent and DeSantis at 26 percent. However, 54 percent of respondents expressed support for Pence or said they would consider supporting him.
In his speeches, Pence has aimed to combine a forward-looking vision for the Republican Party with his credentials as Trump’s right-hand man for four years. He has spent recent months making frequent visits to early primary states such as South Carolina and New Hampshire, with a particular focus on Iowa, which holds the first caucus on the GOP primary calendar. Pence’s team places great importance on a strong showing in the Hawkeye State to bolster his chances. Having made approximately a dozen visits to Iowa in the past year, Pence is well-known in the state. His most recent visit was on Saturday when he attended Sen. Joni Ernst’s (R-Iowa) “Roast and Ride” event.
Over the years, Pence has developed strong relationships with evangelical voters by frequently speaking about his faith and addressing issues important to this voting bloc, such as abortion, school choice, and religious freedom. Unlike some other candidates, Pence has not shied away from taking clear positions on controversial topics. He has expressed support for more restrictive abortion laws at the state level and believes that mifepristone, a pill commonly used for abortion, should be removed from the market. Pence has also stated his backing for federal legislation that would ban abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy. Meanwhile, other candidates, including Trump and Haley, have yet to outline their stance on a federal abortion ban.
Furthermore, Pence has taken a divergent stance from others in the party regarding entitlements. He argues that Social Security and Medicare require “common sense reforms” to ensure their solvency and accessibility for future generations. This position sharply contrasts with Trump’s call to leave these programs untouched in budget negotiations.
Pence has also been a vocal advocate for U.S. support of Ukraine in its conflict against Russia, even as Trump, DeSantis, and some other Republicans have suggested that providing aid to Ukraine may not be in America’s best interest.
However, Pence’s biggest challenges as a candidate will likely be securing enough support from primary voters who often prioritize personality over policy, and whether he can win over the wing of the party that remains fiercely loyal to Trump. Many staunch Trump supporters are unlikely to back Pence due to his certification of the 2020 election results on January 6, 2021. Videos of the Capitol attack that day showed some rioters chanting “Hang Mike Pence,” and at the time, Trump criticized Pence for lacking the “courage” to act. Pence has referred to January 6 as a “dark day,” expressed concern about the safety of his family due to Trump’s rhetoric, and consistently asserted that he did not possess the constitutional authority to unilaterally overturn the election results, contrary to Trump’s claims. In late April, Pence testified before a grand jury investigating Trump’s attempts to retain power.
Trump and Pence have not spoken to each other in approximately two years. In response to Pence’s announcement, Democratic National Committee Chairman Jaime Harrison issued a statement criticizing Pence’s past positions and promising to take the Trump-Pence agenda even further.
The upcoming months will reveal if Pence can effectively differentiate himself from Trump and rally enough support to secure the Republican nomination for the 2024 presidential election.
