Mike Pence says he’ll decide on a 2024 bid by the end of June – NBC News
CINCINNATI Mike Pence recalled Tuesday that he didn't find out until later that insurrectionists had chanted "Hang Mike Pence" while he hid in the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
As he spoke in a sun-filled atrium of the Duke Energy Convention Center here, gay rights protesters serenaded the former vice president with chants of "F--- Mike Pence."
Shouting from the sidewalk outside and brandishing rainbow flags and homemade signs, the protesters were loud enough to briefly interrupt Pence's exclusive interview with NBC News.
It was a reminder that almost everywhere the mild-mannered Pence goes, he finds Americans who are moved to deep anger by his very presence. At a National Rifle Association conference last month in Indiana, he was the only featured speaker who was greeted with a cascade of lusty boos.
But Pence, who is slowly taking steps toward a 2024 presidential bid, appears to be undeterred by the vitriol or by primary polls that consistently show him registering in single digits with Republican voters. Instead, he increasingly sounds like a candidate who has decided to enter the race but isnt ready to make it official.
I expect before the month of June is out, well let people know of our decision, he said. If we choose to go forward, this race doesnt really start until the August debate in Milwaukee.
What remains less clear is the path to the presidency for a candidate whose traditional conservative politics, establishment bona fides and regard for democratic institutions have all been out of vogue for Republicans in the Trump era. Many of former President Donald Trumps hardest-core supporters treat him as a traitor because he rejected Trumps entreaties to obstruct the electoral vote count that sealed their fate in the 2020 election.
That helps explain why some veteran Republican operatives speculate that Pence could ultimately forgo a bid, even as he travels the country. He was in Cincinnati on Tuesday to speak at a gala for the Center for Christian Virtue, and he plans to visit New Hampshire the site of the nations first primary this month.
But while most campaigns-in-waiting have staffs assembled on the sidelines, Pences core team hasnt expanded, and operatives in early states say there isnt much chatter about outreach from his aides to potential hires.
By contrast, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is running second to Trump and well ahead of the rest of the pack in national polls, has a super PAC that has hired aides and aired ads across the country. DeSantis is expected to launch his bid this month.
Trump, who is considering whether to skip the first primary debate sanctioned by the Republican National Committee, is the clear front-runner in a race for the nomination he has won twice before. And Pence has been reluctant to attack his former boss.
Asked Tuesday whether a jury verdict finding Trump liable for sexually abusing and defaming writer E. Jean Carroll altered his view of Trumps fitness for the presidency, Pence sidestepped.
I think thats a question for the American people, he said, adding that he had "never heard or witnessed behavior of that nature" while he served alongside Trump.
He has said repeatedly that Trump acted recklessly on Jan. 6 but declined to say whether he felt in his gut that Trump incited the riot at the Capitol. He frames his posture around the legal question of whether Trumps actions amounted to incitement, and he suggested they may not have.
Im just not convinced that taking bad advice from lawyers and then expressing that opinion in the public rises to that level, Pence said.
Along with the tightrope he would have to navigate amid factions of the Republican Party, Pence appears determined to find ways to distinguish himself from Trump without throwing hard punches. That could be a tall order considering his public record of agreeing with Trump on virtually everything from the day he joined the ticket in 2016 until Jan. 6.
I think the people will make their own judgments about the waning days of the administration, Pence said.
Still, he laid out points of departure from Trump that could form the core themes of a primary campaign.
If I become a candidate for the Republican nomination for president, Im going to talk about American leadership in the world, he said. Im going to talk about the need to continue to support the military in Ukraine until they repel the Russian invasion.
Trump has said he would end the war immediately upon taking office.
Pence said he would push for national restrictions on abortion, referring to the matter as the calling of our time and saying he would seize every opportunity to limit the procedure. Trump has been reticent on a national abortion ban, but he recently pledged to get something done if hes elected president again.
He was most aggressive in criticizing Trump for vowing to oppose cuts to Social Security and Medicare.
The former presidents position on Social Security and Medicare is identical to Joe Bidens, Pence said. Joe Bidens position is insolvency. He says we wont talk ever about compassionate reforms of entitlements, and the former president has taken exactly the same view.
Pence acknowledged that Trump is the far-and-away front-runner for the nomination but said that is a reflection of how deeply concerned people are about the failed policies of President Biden at home and abroad.
Because of that, he added, voters are naturally drawn to the familiar in hard times.
What they dont appear to be drawn to right now based on survey data and the fury of both the Trump base and Democrats is a Pence campaign.
But he suggested the numbers dont faze him.
Regardless of what the polls show, I think the Republican voters are looking for new leadership in our party and in the country, he said.
Jonathan Allen is asenior national politics reporter for NBC News, based in Washington.
Dasha Burns is an NBC News NOW correspondent who covers politics and social issues.
Ali Vitali contributed.
View post:
Mike Pence says he'll decide on a 2024 bid by the end of June - NBC News
- Opinion | Mike Pence: Donald Trump Has Betrayed the Pro-Life Movement - The New York Times - April 22nd, 2024 [April 22nd, 2024]
- 'Betrayed': Mike Pence says he's 'deeply disappointed' in Donald Trump over abortion stance - Yahoo! Voices - April 22nd, 2024 [April 22nd, 2024]
- Mike Pence: Russian aggression poses 'serious threat' to Europe - Euronews - April 22nd, 2024 [April 22nd, 2024]
- 'Betrayed': Mike Pence says he's 'deeply disappointed' in Donald Trump over abortion stance - USA TODAY - April 22nd, 2024 [April 22nd, 2024]
- Mike Pence: US will continue to support Ukraine - Euronews - April 22nd, 2024 [April 22nd, 2024]
- Mike Johnson, Like Pence, Does What Passes for Brave in Todays GOP: His Job - The New York Times - April 22nd, 2024 [April 22nd, 2024]
- Mike Pence defends Speaker Johnson amid ousting threats: 'Demonstrating moral courage' - WKRC TV Cincinnati - April 22nd, 2024 [April 22nd, 2024]
- Vice President Mike Pence: 'We will support Israel to the full' - Sky News - April 22nd, 2024 [April 22nd, 2024]
- Fox News Spent More Time Covering The Rock Not Endorsing Biden Than Mike Pence Not Endorsing Trump - Mediaite - April 8th, 2024 [April 8th, 2024]
- Brian Howey: Trumps Hoosiers passing on a second term - Daily Journal - April 8th, 2024 [April 8th, 2024]
- Former Trump officials are among the most vocal opponents of returning him to the White House - Yoursun.com - April 8th, 2024 [April 8th, 2024]
- Ex-Trump lawyer and former law school dean who suggested Mike Pence interfere in the election should lose his ... - Fortune - March 28th, 2024 [March 28th, 2024]
- On The New Abnormal, Matt Gertz explains why the Pence story got swept under the rug: Fox News is a "Trumpian ... - Media Matters for America - March 28th, 2024 [March 28th, 2024]
- Trump Told Pence Certifying Election Would Be 'Career Killer,' Valet Testified - The New York Times - March 28th, 2024 [March 28th, 2024]
- Fox News Buried Its Own Mike Pence Story to Benefit Trump - The Daily Beast - March 28th, 2024 [March 28th, 2024]
- Trump faces a major threat from Liz Cheney and Mike Pence - MSNBC - March 28th, 2024 [March 28th, 2024]
- Donald Trump told Mike Pence his career was over if he certified the election on January 6th - MSNBC - March 28th, 2024 [March 28th, 2024]
- Republican Group's Ad Taunts Donald Trump By Noting Mike Pence Put 'Country Over Party' - Yahoo Singapore News - March 28th, 2024 [March 28th, 2024]
- Letter: Former VP Mike Pence shows leadership, rejects Trump - Montgomery Advertiser - March 28th, 2024 [March 28th, 2024]
- Pence cannot in good conscience back Trump but Capito can - The Dominion Post - March 28th, 2024 [March 28th, 2024]
- Ex-Pence Aide Recalls Trump-Haley Oval Office Moment That Left Her 'In Shock' - Yahoo News - January 25th, 2024 [January 25th, 2024]
- Sure They Wanted to Hang Mike Pence, But It'll Be Different for Me! - The Bulwark - January 25th, 2024 [January 25th, 2024]
- Rep. Greg Pence: Chaos in Congress a factor in retirement - Daily Journal - January 25th, 2024 [January 25th, 2024]
- Mike Pence's brother is latest Republican retiring from Congress - Axios - January 10th, 2024 [January 10th, 2024]
- Mike Pence's Brother Joins Republicans Retiring From Congress - The Daily Beast - January 10th, 2024 [January 10th, 2024]
- Mike Pence's brother not running for House re-election in 2024 - Fox News - January 10th, 2024 [January 10th, 2024]
- Trump's response to hearing Mike Pence was moved to a secure place on Jan 6, revealed - The Independent - January 10th, 2024 [January 10th, 2024]
- Pence says he believes the FBI didn't contribute to Jan. 6 riot - POLITICO - January 10th, 2024 [January 10th, 2024]
- Mike Pence denounces debunked FBI Jan 6 conspiracy theory promoted by Trump - The Independent - January 10th, 2024 [January 10th, 2024]
- Greg Pence, brother of Mike Pence, will not seek reelection to the House - USA TODAY - January 10th, 2024 [January 10th, 2024]
- Indiana Rep. Greg Pence, brother of former VP Mike Pence, will not run for reelection - WLWT Cincinnati - January 10th, 2024 [January 10th, 2024]
- Former US VP Mike Pence to Israel: 'The American people are with you' - The Jerusalem Post - January 10th, 2024 [January 10th, 2024]
- Mike Pence writes messages on bombs meant for Lebanon. Would Jesus do that? - Baptist News Global - January 10th, 2024 [January 10th, 2024]
- Rep. Greg Pence, brother of ex-VP Mike Pence, to retire from Congress - New York Post - January 10th, 2024 [January 10th, 2024]
- Real Photograph of Mike Pence Signing an Artillery Shell in Israel? - Snopes.com - January 10th, 2024 [January 10th, 2024]
- Mike Pence Shouldn't Have Signed His Name on an Israeli Bomb - Haaretz Today - Haaretz - January 10th, 2024 [January 10th, 2024]
- Mike Pence rejects conspiracy that FBI instigated Jan 6 riots: 'Look to the facts' - WOAI - January 10th, 2024 [January 10th, 2024]
- Greg Pence hangs it up after six years in Congress - The Times of Northwest Indiana - January 10th, 2024 [January 10th, 2024]
- Mike Pence will feature in Scott Morrison's new tell-all book - Women's Agenda - January 10th, 2024 [January 10th, 2024]
- U.S. Rep. Greg Pence announces he won't seek reelection - The Daily News - January 10th, 2024 [January 10th, 2024]
- Pence decides not to file again for Congress - 101.5 WKKG - 101.5 WKKG - January 10th, 2024 [January 10th, 2024]
- Mike Pence heckled by man claiming they are both gay - PinkNews - October 15th, 2023 [October 15th, 2023]
- Mike Pence Heckled by Man Claiming to Be His Lover - Yahoo News - October 15th, 2023 [October 15th, 2023]
- Mike Pence Claims the Reagan Mantle. So Far, It Isn't Helping Him. - Reason - September 29th, 2023 [September 29th, 2023]
- No, Mike Pence, We Should Not Make It Easier To Execute Mass ... - Reason - September 29th, 2023 [September 29th, 2023]
- Trump Was Privately Chanting for Mike Pence's Hanging on January ... - Vanity Fair - September 29th, 2023 [September 29th, 2023]
- Vivek Ramaswamy Is Attacked Over China, Ukraine and TikTok - The New York Times - September 29th, 2023 [September 29th, 2023]
- Opinion | Since When Is Populism the Enemy of Conservatism? - POLITICO - September 29th, 2023 [September 29th, 2023]
- In Iowa, Pence Preaches Old-School Conservatism to a Dwindling Flock - The New York Times - September 2nd, 2023 [September 2nd, 2023]
- 'Where did that guy come from?' Pence nets post-debate fundraising bump - POLITICO - September 2nd, 2023 [September 2nd, 2023]
- Pence 'Day 1' plan includes a telework rollback, spending freeze ... - GovExec.com - September 2nd, 2023 [September 2nd, 2023]
- Mike Pence and Nikki Haley Clash Over Abortion at GOP Debate - The New York Times - August 24th, 2023 [August 24th, 2023]
- A Chaotic Display of Conservatism at the First Republican Debate - The New Yorker - August 24th, 2023 [August 24th, 2023]
- GOP candidates debate in Milwaukee. Here are the moments that ... - NPR - August 24th, 2023 [August 24th, 2023]
- The Key Moments From the First Republican Presidential Debate - WTTW News - August 24th, 2023 [August 24th, 2023]
- Former Vice President Mike Pence expected to run for president in ... - NPR - June 4th, 2023 [June 4th, 2023]
- Has Mike Pence announced his campaign yet? No. But he will soon. - POLITICO - June 4th, 2023 [June 4th, 2023]
- Former VP Mike Pence speaks in Grand Rapids ahead of campaign ... - FOX 17 West Michigan News - June 4th, 2023 [June 4th, 2023]
- Mike Pence calls Dodgers inclusion of Sisters in Pride night deeply offensive - The Athletic - June 4th, 2023 [June 4th, 2023]
- Pence Looks Toward 2024 Run, Using Reagan's Playbook, Not Trump's - The New York Times - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Mike Pence rejects Trump's call to let U.S. default as he hints at 2024 White House bid - CNBC - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Ron DeSantis and Mike Pence Are Running Scared - The New Republic - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Sen. Joni Ernst announces Mike Pence, Nikki Haley will join her Roast and Ride fundraiser - KCCI Des Moines - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Mike Pence calls for national abortion restrictions in 'Conversation with the Candidate' - WMUR Manchester - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Former VP Mike Pence will attend 2023 Roast and Ride event in Des Moines - KGAN TV - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Ex-Trump Official Slams His Mockery of Jan. 6: We Were Just Inches Away From a Massacre - Mediaite - May 14th, 2023 [May 14th, 2023]
- Pence praises James Comer report on alleged Biden family business deals - Washington Examiner - May 14th, 2023 [May 14th, 2023]
- Trump Doubles Down On His Jan. 6 Lies, Wont Apologize To Pence At CNN Town Hall - HuffPost - May 14th, 2023 [May 14th, 2023]
- Opinion: Protecting Social Security is key for candidates in Iowa - Des Moines Register - May 14th, 2023 [May 14th, 2023]
- DeSantis takes anti-woke show to Illinois - POLITICO - May 14th, 2023 [May 14th, 2023]
- Trump rages after sexual abuse verdict but legal woes have only just begun - The Guardian US - May 14th, 2023 [May 14th, 2023]
- Mike Pence doesnt think voters will care about Trump sex abuse verdict - NBC News - May 12th, 2023 [May 12th, 2023]
- Pence blasts Bidens as probe intensifies: When I was VP, my son was in an F-35 not a foreign boardroom - Fox News - May 12th, 2023 [May 12th, 2023]
- Mike Pence: Trump White House could've done 'better' on spending' - NBC News - May 12th, 2023 [May 12th, 2023]
- FactChecking Trump's CNN Town Hall - FactCheck.org - May 12th, 2023 [May 12th, 2023]
- Donald Trump, Mike Pence, Ron DeSantis are all scheduled to address NC GOP Convention in Greensboro - WGHP FOX8 Greensboro - May 12th, 2023 [May 12th, 2023]
- The View cohost's face cracks as Whoopi Goldberg challenges her to call 'former boss' Mike Pence - Yahoo Entertainment - May 12th, 2023 [May 12th, 2023]
- Why the Anti-Trump Republican Primary Has Yet to Emerge - The New York Times - May 12th, 2023 [May 12th, 2023]
- Senators push overhaul of classification rules after Trump, Biden ... - The Associated Press - May 12th, 2023 [May 12th, 2023]
- Trump Town Hall Shows His Second-Term Plan: Shattering Even ... - The New York Times - May 12th, 2023 [May 12th, 2023]