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Mike Pence has filed his paperwork to run for president, setting up a unique competition within his own party. As a former vice president, he faces the challenge of winning back Republicans who distanced themselves from him after Donald Trump’s presidency.
Pence’s entry into the race follows a tumultuous period in which he faced backlash for his actions on January 6, 2020, when he certified the 2020 election results against intense pressure from Trump. He has even experienced boos from the MAGA base at GOP conferences, reflecting the divide within the party.
To regain support, Pence is focusing on Iowa, where he aims to rebuild the coalition of evangelical voters that supported candidates like Ted Cruz, Rick Santorum, and Mike Huckabee in previous elections. He has hired Chip Saltsman, who worked on Huckabee’s campaign, to assist him in this endeavor.
However, there are doubts about whether Pence can repair the rift caused by his refusal to overturn the 2020 election results. In public surveys, he has consistently polled in single digits, trailing behind Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
Pence’s approach to politics would have made him well-suited for the Iowa caucuses under normal circumstances, according to Republican strategist Dave Kochel. However, the post-Trump era has changed the landscape, and he will inevitably be judged through the lens of Trump.
Over the past year, Pence has been operating in a shadow campaign mode, raising funds and promoting his political memoir, “So Help Me God.” He is expected to release a second book focusing on his faith journey later this year. Pence has been vocal about his staunch opposition to abortion and has advocated for a total national ban.
In recent months, Pence has directed his criticisms towards Trump and DeSantis, although he rarely mentions Trump by name. He has emphasized policy differences, particularly in foreign policy and traditional economic conservatism. For example, he disagreed with DeSantis’ stance on Russia’s conflict with Ukraine and criticized DeSantis’ confrontation with Disney.
Pence’s campaign reflects his attempt to rescue the conservatism that defined his political career. He urges his audiences to resist populist ideologies that deviate from timeless conservative values.
Throughout his campaign, Pence will likely draw on his experience as vice president, where he remained loyal to Trump in public, as well as his time in Congress and as governor. He describes himself as a sunny, Reagan-like conservative who prioritizes his Christian faith.
Pence believes that people in the country want to return to the agenda of the Trump-Pence administration while seeking a style of leadership that can find common ground between Republicans and Democrats.
