It’s no secret that Trump’s former vice president, Mike Pence (63), is considering running for president. It is still unclear whether he will participate in the race for the presidency. Instead, his candidacy forms filed with the US Elections Office have caused confusion.
After the British broadcaster Sky News, among others, reported on the alleged ambitions of Trump’s former partner, his adviser Devin O’Malley clearly denied this. “Former Vice President Mike Pence did not run for president today,” O’Malley wrote on Twitter. The tweet was deleted a short time later.
His candidacy would be a blow to Trump
Two forms related to the former vice president were available on the FEC website. Their titles were “Pence for President” and “Mike Pence for President”. They were signed by attorney William R. Neale, who works in Pence’s home state of Indiana. The campaign page was specified as “mikepence.com”, which redirects to the website of the foundation “Advancing American Freedom” founded by Pence.
Pence has been speculated for months. For example, speculation was fueled by the publication of his political memoir “So help me God” in November and by public appearances. Observers give the former vice president little chance of success in the Republican primaries, but his candidacy would be another blow to the comeback ambitions of former president Donald Trump (76). As an icebreaker, Pence could encourage other Trump opponents to throw their hats in the ring.
Pence refused to commit abuse of office
The arch-conservative former governor of the state of Indiana was a loyal companion of political career changer Trump, with whom he made a surprise entrance into the White House in January 2017. The rift between the two came when Pence refused to commit an abuse of office by notarizing the results of the election after Trump was voted out in November 2020.
As vice president, Pence presided over the January 6, 2021 congressional session that sealed Trump’s defeat to his Democratic challenger Joe Biden. Undaunted by requests from Trump or a mob incited by the outgoing president to storm the Capitol, Pence fulfilled his role constitutionally. Since then, he has been considered a “traitor” by Trump supporters. (SDA)