Former Vice President and GOP presidential candidate Mike Pence hit back at Sen. Mitt Romney on Wednesday, insisting he’s “running to win.”
Pence’s comments were in response to the Utah Republican telling The Washington Post in an interview he doesn’t believe “[Pence] has…any delusions that he’s going to become the nominee.”
He suggested there are other motivating factors to the former VP’s run, one being to “repair his legacy.”
“What he’s saying is important to be said…I’m glad he’s running and saying those things. I respect that,” Romney added.
But Pence insisted Romney, who announced Wednesday he will not seek reelection, is wrong.
“I’m running for president of the United States because I think this country’s in a lot of trouble,” Pence said during a NewsNation town hall event when asked about Romney’s remarks. “And I’m running to win.”
He continued, “I’m running to win the Republican nomination, and I’m running to win a better future for American families that are struggling under the failed policies from the Biden administration at home and abroad. Look, I’ll leave Sen. Romney with his opinions, but [the] people who know me, know I’m in it to win it, and not a victory for me.”
"I'm running to win a better future for American families. … I am, in fact, the most qualified, the most tested, the most consistent conservative running," @Mike_Pence says in response to comments made by Sen. Mitt Romney.
— NewsNation (@NewsNation) September 14, 2023
More: https://t.co/q8655NzG2G #PenceTownHall pic.twitter.com/IroKeHpXIX
According to RealClearPolitics' average of national polling, Pence sits at 5 percent, trailing former President Trump, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, and former U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley.