Former US Vice President Mike Pence has ended his presidential campaign. Reuters noted that Pence spent months trying to convince Republican voters that he was the best alternative to Donald Trump, whom he once served with unwavering loyalty.
In June, Mike Pence joined the race for the presidential seat nominated by the Republican Party, competing against, among others, Donald Trump. He tried to distance himself from the controversial style of the former American president. He called for “the restoration of the threshold of civility in public life.”
On Saturday, during a conference in Las Vegas, Pence unexpectedly announced the end of his presidential campaign.
Mike Pence has ended his campaign
– I came to say that it has become clear to me: this is not my time. “So, after much prayer and deliberation, I have now decided to suspend my campaign,” the 64-year-old said.
The former US Vice President said: “I will leave the campaign, but let me promise you that I will never stop fighting for conservative values and I will never stop fighting to elect principled Republican leaders to every office in the country.”
Mike PenceEPA/Caroline Brehman
Reuters noted that Pence refrained from supporting anyone in his speech, but appeared to be attacking his former boss. A source close to Pence laughed when asked whether the former US Vice President would support Trump.
Nikki Haley, former governor of South Carolina, praised Pence and described him as a fighter for America and Israel. In turn, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis – who, like Haley, is participating in the race for the Republican Party nomination – wrote on the X website (formerly Twitter) that Pence was a man of faith and principles who worked tirelessly for conservative values.
Poll results are low
ABC News noted that Pence’s support for military aid to Ukraine sets him apart from other Republican candidates. He also pushed for a federal ban on abortion for at least 15 weeks and other conservative initiatives.
But Pence had difficulty winning over voters who were fiercely loyal to Trump. He did not receive more than single-digit support in opinion polls. Furthermore, due to his campaign’s poor fundraising results, at least two employees were fired in early October.
– If Mike Pence had $200 million, he wouldn’t change the polls. I don’t think it’s necessarily about finance. It has to do with the fact that his message is not relevant right now, said Barry Bennett, Ben Carson’s former campaign manager and Trump adviser, whose statement was reported by ABC News.
The US presidential election is scheduled for November 2024.
Main image source: EPA/Caroline Brehman
“Coffee enthusiast. Troublemaker. Incurable introvert. Subtly charming twitter scholar. Award-winning social mediaholic. Internet buff.”
