Former vice president Mike Pence is expected to announce his campaign for 2024 president next Wednesday, according to reports.
Mr Pence, 63, will make the official announcement on 7 June just before his town hall with CNN in Des Moines, Iowa, a source told NBC News. The Messenger also reported that Mr Pence’s presidnetial launch was imminent.
For months, speculation has circulated that the former vice president was planning on joining the already-packed race for the White House.
When Mr Pence announces, he will be joining his old boss, former president, Donald Trump along with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson and other GOP candidates in the increasingly crowded 2024 field.
According to sources, Mr Pence will be spending much of his campaign in Iowa before the caucuses, spending time in all 99 counties.
The former vice president will likely have some explaining to do to Trump-aligned voters who tried to re-elect him and Mr Trump in 2020.
After election results determined President Joe Biden had won, Mr Trump suggested Mr Pence not certify the results on 6 January 2021. Mr Pence rebuffed Mr Trump’s demand.
Mr Trump placed heavy blame on Mr Pence for losing the election and ultimately an angry mob of Trump supporters attacked the Capitol building on January 6 – some with the intention to seize Mr Pence or hang him, as the crowd outside chanted.
In the aftermath of January 6, Mr Pence has made a sharp turn against Mr Trump thus driving a rift between himself and Trump voters.
Though it is unclear if Mr Pence will be able to rally former supporters behind him. As of now, the former vice president is polling slightly ahead of Ms Haley but trailing far behind Mr Trump and Mr DeSantis, according to FiveThirtyEight.
Mr Pence served as vice president under Mr Trump from 2017 until 2021. He was also governor of Indiana from 2013 until 2017 as well as a representative for Indiana from 2001 until 2013.
