Former Vice President Mike Pence has officially entered the 2024 presidential race in what will shape up to be a unique dynamic since the former president he served under, Donald Trump, is the leading candidate.
Many doubt whether Pence can gain a significant number of Republican voters, especially from people who voted for Pence because he was on Trump's ticket. Many supporters take issue with how Pence acted on January 6, 2021. His advisors say Trump supporters do not like Pence because they have not heard from him directly about what happened that day.
"People have been told one thing, but they haven't heard the other side,” senior advisor Marc Short told Semafor. "They've heard it from mainstream media, but they haven't heard from a conservative perspective."
"Mike’s proud of the record of the administration," Short, who was also Pence's chief of staff, said. "When Trump literally says, [abortion is] now on the negotiating table because of me — what’s on the negotiating table? Which children live and which ones don’t? I think that’s going to be an important separation."
At the start of his campaign, Pence has made it clear he does not regret his actions on that chaotic day.
BREAKING: Mike Pence is using ‘Kept His Oath’ as his wifi password for today’s event pic.twitter.com/M05l4CoAUF
— Jack Poso 🇺🇸 (@JackPosobiec) June 7, 2023
"January 6 was a tragic day...President Trump demanded that I choose between him and the Constitution. Now voters will be faced with the same choice. I chose the Constitution and I always will," he said at his campaign launch.
Pence fires on Trump:
— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) June 7, 2023
"On January 6th, President Trump demanded that I choose between him and the Constitution. I chose the Constitution and I always will.” pic.twitter.com/ip1Wp5fHMZ
While still very early, Real Clear Politics polling average has Pence at 3.8 percent of support. Trump is in the lead at 53.2 percent and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in second place at 22.4 percent.