"Different times require different leaders." Mike Pence, former Vice President and running mate of former U.S. President Donald Trump, officially announced his candidacy for the next presidential election on the 7th (local time). Pence, who went from being an 'ally yesterday' to an 'enemy today,' strongly criticized Trump for being unqualified to run for president due to his attempt to overturn the election results during the January 6 incident.
On that day, Pence delivered a speech at the DMACC Urban Campus in Des Moines, Iowa, stating, "No one who places themselves above the Constitution should ever be President of the United States. Nor should anyone who demands that others prioritize themselves over the Constitution ever be President of the United States again."
Pence's speech focused on criticizing the Biden administration's misguided policy directions and former President Trump's actions during the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. He first said, "Americans deserve to know about that disastrous day," and added, "Former President Trump demanded that I choose between him and the Constitution." Furthermore, he emphasized, "Now voters will face the same choice," and "I chose the Constitution, and I will continue to do so." This contrasts with other Republican candidates, including Trump supporters, who are reluctant to even mention the January 6 incident.
In particular, Pence received applause from the audience when he said, "The Republican Party must be the party of the U.S. Constitution." He stated, "Americans need to know that Republican leaders will keep their oath to support and defend the Constitution," adding, "even when the Constitution does not align with our political interests." He also criticized former President Trump, saying, "He was wrong then and he is wrong now," and shared, "I have often prayed for him over the past few years. I hoped he would come back and acknowledge what went wrong that day, but that did not happen." He reiterated, "No one who places themselves above the Constitution should ever be President of the United States."
This is the first time Pence has used the word 'never' when criticizing Trump's actions during the January 6 incident. The New York Times (NYT) described it as "Pence delivering the most aggressive criticism of his former boss." In his morning announcement video, he also differentiated himself from Trump by emphasizing, "The greatest days for the greatest nation on Earth have yet to come," and "Different times require different leaders."
The Associated Press (AP) reported that it is the first time in modern U.S. history that a vice president has challenged a president they once worked with by running for president. Once a strong running mate of former President Trump, Pence began distancing himself from Trump following the January 6 Capitol riot. He refused Trump's 'order' not to certify the election results won by President Joe Biden at the joint session of Congress, and has since shown policy differences.
On this day, Pence highlighted three issues?abortion, fiscal policy, and foreign policy?to differentiate himself from his 'former ally' Trump. Having expressed support for restricting abortion access, he claimed, "When Trump ran for president in 2016, he promised to govern as a conservative," adding, "Today, he no longer makes that promise. Trump led the most anti-abortion administration in U.S. history but is now retreating from the cause of the unborn." He also criticized Trump for treating abortion as an 'inconvenience' and even blaming his election loss on the overturning of the Roe v. Wade decision. Additionally, Pence called for reforms related to Social Security and Medicare. Regarding foreign policy, he pointed out that Trump deviated from America's traditional role on the world stage and defined the U.S. as "the leader of the free world."
Pence also devoted significant time to criticizing the Biden administration. He argued that President Biden and the radical left are weakening America both domestically and internationally. Mentioning "inflation," "a growing recession," "enemies of freedom" including Russia and China, and "timeless American values," he emphasized, "We are better. We can change this country. Different leadership is needed for different times."
So far, Republican candidates who have declared their candidacy include Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, U.S. Senator Tim Scott, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy. However, Pence's presidential bid is expected to face challenges. Local media assess that many Republican voters view Pence as a traitor for rejecting Trump's demands. The AP reported, "Despite being one of the best-known Republican candidates, both left- and right-leaning voters remain skeptical."
According to Ipsos, Pence's approval rating stood at only 5% as of last month. In the same survey, Trump led with 49%. A CNN poll from the same month showed that 45% of Republican and Republican-leaning independent voters said they would never support Pence under any circumstances, which is considered the most unfavorable rating among all candidates. In a Monmouth University poll released last week, Trump’s support was 43%, while Pence’s was only 3%.
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