6th June 2023 – (Washington) Former U.S. Vice-President Mike Pence has filed paperwork to officially enter the race for the Republican presidential nomination, making him the latest candidate to challenge former President Donald Trump. Pence is expected to launch his campaign with a video, speech, and townhall event in Iowa on Wednesday.
Despite serving as Trump’s loyal deputy for four years, Pence has distanced himself from the former president since the January 2021 riot at the US Capitol. Trump had pressured Pence to overturn Joe Biden’s election victory during the certification of results in Congress, and some rioters were heard chanting “hang Mike Pence” during the melee.
Pence is positioning himself as a continuation of the Trump administration’s conservative agenda, but without the baggage. However, most opinion polls show him in a distant third place, with support in the low single digits, trailing far behind Trump and other leading Republican contenders.
The former Indiana governor and congressman will likely seek to woo evangelical voters, who have been a key base of support for him and Trump in the past. Pence describes himself as “a Christian, a conservative and a Republican, in that order.”
The Republican presidential nomination race is shaping up to be a crowded field, with several candidates vying for the party’s support. The outcome of the race could have significant implications for the future direction of the Republican Party and US politics as a whole.