CRIME, POLICE + COURTS

Pence announces presidential run: ‘Different times call for different leadership’

Jun 7, 2023, 7:04 AM

Former Vice President Mike Pence, here in 2022, announced he’s running for president on Wednesday...

Former Vice President Mike Pence, here in 2022, announced he’s running for president on Wednesday, June, 7. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

(Scott Olson/Getty Images)

(CNN) — Former Vice President Mike Pence announced he’s running for president on Wednesday, setting up a battle for the Republican nomination with his former boss, Donald Trump.

In a launch video released ahead of his campaign kickoff later in the day in Iowa, Pence casts himself as a Reagan Republican seeking to return America to conservative principles.

“It would be easy to stay on the sidelines. But that’s not how I was raised,” he says in the video. “That’s why today, before God and my family, I’m announcing I’m running for president of the United States.”

Pence’s presidential bid places him in a unique position as he becomes the first vice president in modern history to challenge his old boss, who’s the current front-runner for the 2024 GOP nomination. Though a loyal second-in-command to Trump, Pence broke with him by refusing to overturn the 2020 election results and presiding over Congress’ certification of Joe Biden’s victory on January 6, 2021.

Pence argues in the video – which makes no mention of Trump and features no images of the former president – that “different times call for different leadership” and that the nation needs a leader “that will appeal, as Lincoln said, to the better angels of our nature.”

“We can bring this country back. We can defend our nation and secure our border. We could revive our economy, and put our nation back on a path to a balanced budget, defend our liberties and give America a new beginning for life,” Pence says.

After filing with the Federal Election Commission on Monday, Pence is officially launching his campaign in the early voting state of Iowa, which his team views as vital to him securing the nomination. He’ll participate in a CNN town hall in the state on Wednesday evening.

Pence – who’s been polling in the single digits – joins a growing field of Republican hopefuls, which so far has been dominated by Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who served as ambassador to the UN, is the other former member of Trump’s administration running against him. Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a one-time Trump ally who helped him prepare for the 2020 debates, announced his candidacy on Tuesday with a sharp anti-Trump message.

An evangelical Christian, Pence was picked to be Trump’s running mate in the 2016 election in hopes of bolstering his standing among Christian conservatives. While vice president is his most known title, Pence is seeking to reintroduce himself to voters as a conservative who served as an Indiana governor and congressman before hitching his career to Trump.

In speeches, Pence has argued for fiscal responsibility, including calling for reforms to entitlement programs, a renewal of American energy, support for Ukraine against Russia’s unprovoked invasion, restrictions on abortion and a return to social conservative principles.

He plans to campaign heavily in Iowa, hitting all 99 counties, as his team sees a path for him to secure the nomination by winning over the state’s evangelical conservative voters who have soured on Trump. Later in the week, Pence heads to New Hampshire, which holds the first-in-the-nation GOP primary.

“Evangelicals are very wide open in Iowa, and beyond Iowa, in looking for the candidate who they want to support,” Bob Vander Plaats, the influential president of the Iowa conservative group, The Family Leader, told CNN in a recent interview.

Vander Plaats, who has not yet endorsed in the primary but has known Pence personally for years, said that Iowans have received Pence “exceptionally well” during his visits to the state ahead of his formal announcement.

In breaking with Trump, however, Pence may have alienated some of Trump’s most loyal supporters. The former vice president has publicly criticized Trump over his assertion that Pence had the authority to overturn the 2020 election results, but he has not taken aim at Trump’s character and has repeatedly said that he’s proud of their administration’s record.

And although some Trump supporters have spurned Pence, other Republicans have applauded Pence for his actions on January 6.

“I think every candidate is going to have their hill to climb or hurdle to cross. And that probably is going to be Mike Pence’s,” Vander Plaats said, when asked if Pence’s standing among GOP voters angered over his actions on January 6 would complicate his path to the nomination.

Related: 

We want to hear from you.

Have a story idea or tip? Send it to the KSL NewsRadio team here.

Crime, Police + Courts

12 year old driver shown driving erratically on freeway...

Sam Herrera

WATCH: Police release dash cam footage of 12-year-old driver

The Utah Highway Patrol said the 12-year-old driver stole her mom's car. The girl was briefly arrested before being released to her parents.

50 minutes ago

(Eric Cabrera, KSL NewsRadio)...

Simone Seikaly

Possible carjacking in West Valley City leads to car fire, ramp closure

The UHP said a car was following another car eastbound on the 201 and moved onto the ramp toward NB I-15 when one car rolled and caught fire.

1 hour ago

(Loren Richardson via KSL.com)...

Simone Seikaly

Brighton resident charged for confronting snowboarder with shotgun

According to court documents, and based on witness accounts, Keith Robert Stebbings threatened a snowboarder with a shotgun.

2 hours ago

IRS texts are bogus. Picture shows a sign saying "warning, scam alert" on a keyboard...

Britt Johnson

Millions to be paid for Utah’s largest real estate scheme settlement

Over $10 million in refunds will go to victims of a Utah-based real estate scheme following the settlement of a lawsuit.

11 hours ago

A West Jordan man was arrested Tuesday for investigation of negligent homicide after he allegedly t...

Pat Reavy, ksl.com

West Jordan man shot, killed best friend while trying to ‘be funny,’ police say

A West Jordan man was arrested Tuesday for investigation of negligent homicide after shooting his "best friend."

20 hours ago

FILE: The bust of 30 pounds of fentanyl in American Fork on March 21 highlights the drug problem Ut...

Heather Peterson and Curt Gresseth

DEA warns fentanyl most deadly drug in U.S. and Utah history

The DEA said Utah is on pace to see double the amount of fentanyl this year than last.

23 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

Mother and cute toddler child in a little fancy wooden cottage, reading a book, drinking tea and en...

Visit Bear Lake

How to find the best winter lodging in Bear Lake, Utah

Winter lodging in Bear Lake can be more limited than in the summer, but with some careful planning you can easily book your next winter trip.

Happy family in winter clothing at the ski resort, winter time, watching at mountains in front of t...

Visit Bear Lake

Ski more for less: Affordable ski resorts near Bear Lake, Utah

Plan your perfect ski getaway in Bear Lake this winter, with pristine slopes, affordable tickets, and breathtaking scenery.

front of the Butch Cassidy museum with a man in a cowboy hat standing in the doorway...

Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

Looking Back: The History of Bear Lake

The history of Bear Lake is full of fascinating stories. At over 250,000 years old, the lake has seen generations of people visit its shores.

silhouette of a family looking over a lake with a bird in the top corner flying...

Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

8 Fun Activities To Do in Bear Lake Without Getting in the Water

Bear Lake offers plenty of activities for the whole family to enjoy without having to get in the water. Catch 8 of our favorite activities.

Wellsville Mountains in the spring with a pond in the foreground...

Wasatch Property Management

Advantages of Renting Over Owning a Home

Renting allows you to enjoy luxury amenities and low maintenance without the long-term commitment and responsibilities of owning a home.

Clouds over a red rock vista in Hurricane, Utah...

Wasatch Property Management

Why Southern Utah is a Retirement Paradise

Retirement in southern Utah offers plenty of cultural and recreational opportunities. Find out all that this region has to offer.

Pence announces presidential run: ‘Different times call for different leadership’