L-R Mike Pence, Donald Trump (image via White House)Former Vice President Mike Pence has officially filed paperwork declaring his intention to run for the Republican nomination for president – against his former boss, Donald Trump.
Talk about the candidacy no one wants or asked for.
As the New York Times points out, Pence has polled in the single digits in every public survey taken so far, well behind the Trumpster. The Real Clear Politics average of polls following the GOP race currently shows Pence averaging about 3.8% support.
Mike Pence has filed paperwork to run for president, embarking on a long-shot campaign against Donald Trump.
Once a stalwart supporter and defender of Trump, he split with his former boss after the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. https://t.co/KOGn3fEUhc pic.twitter.com/GhGxszJFd2
— The New York Times (@nytimes) June 5, 2023
More from the NY Times:
The former vice president is expected to formally announce his campaign at a rally outside Des Moines on Wednesday, a day after former Gov. Chris Christie is expected to enter the race and the same day Gov. Doug Burgum of North Dakota is set to join.
Mr. Pence is planning to campaign extensively in Iowa, the first nominating state and a place where his hard-line conservative positions on issues like abortion could appeal to evangelical voters.
The main problem for Pence, in my opinion, is his dogged attempt to try to appear “respectable” and “reasonable” in a party that has been, to some degree, hijacked by a small but very vocal fringe segment of the GOP.
Pence’s calm, measured approach to public life is not what folks who care about the Republican primary want at this point. They want the loud, the brash, the insufferable mainly epitomized by the Donald Trumps and Ron DeSantis’s of the political world.
Mike Pence was Trump’s MAGA wingman for four years—and he’s promised to take their extreme agenda even further. pic.twitter.com/YFmjFy6Cn9
— The Democrats (@TheDemocrats) June 5, 2023
Even though Pence had been Trump’s solid supporter during their administration, Trump pressured Pence to use his ceremonial position on January 6, 2021 – the day of certifying the 2020 election – to overturn the actual results.
Pence refused even as a pro-Trump group of rioters attacked the Capitol, some chanting, “Hang Mike Pence!” According to reports, the relationship between the two has been “strained” to say the least.
In a radio interview in the fall of 2022, Trump said it would be “very disloyal” for Pence to run against him.
As VP, he spent 4 yrs, on his knees, paying homage to Trump. He’s spent most of the past 2 yrs doing the same. And now he wants to convince GOP voters he’s better than the guy he’s been worshiping these past 6-7yrs? Come on. https://t.co/3uXGGW7EeK
— Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) June 5, 2023
Mike Pence. Born to be mild. pic.twitter.com/UhBYTeu3ZP
— MM (@adgirlMM) June 5, 2023
In honor of Mike Pence’s announcement, here’s a video of him “eye-banging Donald Trump”, from the Daily Show. 😂pic.twitter.com/VLtxcpRUUe
— Jo (@JoJoFromJerz) June 1, 2023