Former Vice President Mike Pence reveals his potential advantage in 2024 if he launches a White House run
PALM VIEW, Fla. – EXCLUSIVE: Former Vice President Mike Pence says Republican voters’ knowledge of his story is giving him some breathing room as he decides whether to launch a presidential nomination campaign -seat 2024 GOP.
Pence’s one-time running mate, former President Donald Trump, announced his candidacy for the White House in mid-November. And former South Carolina ambassador and vice president Nikki Haley and conservative entrepreneur, author and reporter Vivek Ramaswamy launched presidential campaigns last month.
But Pence isn’t concerned that the clock is ticking, asserting in an exclusive interview Friday with Fox News Digital “I think the advantage we have is that I think he knows American people on the dimes.”
“In general, they know our story and our career, and some are getting to know it better every day. Therefore, we think that we have time to be aware, be reflective, listen,” Pence said.
Pence reiterated his 2024 timetable, saying he and his wife, former second lady Karen Pence, “both believe we will have a clear sense of our calling this spring.”
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Former Vice President Mike Pence speaks at a donor conference hosted by the conservative group The Club for Growth, on March 3, 2023 in Palm Beach, Florida (Fox News)
The former vice president has made several trips to Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada — the first four states to hold contests in the GOP presidential nominating calendar — in the two years since went away Penny returned to Iowa last month and to South Carolina on Thursday.
Fox News has learned that Pence will return to New Hampshire on March 16 for stops in Manchester before heading to Keene for a major GOP fundraising dinner in Cheshire County.
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Pence’s interview with Fox News took place on the sidelines of a fundraiser hosted by the influential political and fiscal group Club for Growth. In a speech to top GOP donors gathered at an exclusive beachside resort in this upscale beach community, the former vice president stressed to the crowd that “He can’t Republicans and conservatives have abandoned our commitment to fiscal responsibility and reform and that includes sensible reforms to Social Security. and Medicare.”
Pointing to the country’s exploding national debt as a result of the recent birth of two of his grandchildren, the former vice president stressed that “I cannot walk with the debt crisis we are facing our country and neither can you.”
A few minutes later, he told Fox News that “unlike President Joe Biden, I want to talk about how to put our country back on a path to fiscal solvency and integrity. “
Pence said, “If I am a candidate for president, I will use that platform to make it clear to the American people that we are headed for an unprecedented debt crisis in this country only if we have the presidency today, we can apply common sense. principles that would never touch anyone in retirement or anyone close to retirement but would give young Americans better options than they have under these New Deal programs and which would attempt to blaze a trail toward restoring fiscal integrity to our national government.”
But the calls for Social Security and Medicare reform divide the GOP. Trump has warned other Republicans to stay away from touching the popular entitlement programs.
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When asked if his running mate was wrong on this issue, Pence replied “I think anyone who thinks we can pass up the opportunity to ignore the bankruptcy of Security Social, Medicare, or our national government wrong.
“It’s a violation of Joe Biden’s policy,” the former vice president said. “His stated purpose of not talking or even talking about sensible reforms to Social Security and Medicare, and other Republican voices who are saying the same thing, just makes me unhappy.” thinking of future generations of Americans and our country’s ability to meet. our responsibilities to our people and the world in the future.”
Former President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign event at the South Carolina Statehouse, January 28, 2023, in Columbia, South Carolina. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File) (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)
Pence declined to say in a recent interview with CBS News whether he would support Trump if the former president wins the 2024 GOP nomination.
When asked if he would accept a pledge of support for the nominee the Republican National Committee could force the presidential candidates to take to lead the RNC primary debates, Pence said: “I have supported giving to Republican candidates all my adult life since. I joined the Reagan revolution as a young man. And if I am a candidate for president I have every confidence that we will meet the obligations that the RNC sets for the debate.”
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“I believe that different times call for different leadership. I think we will have better options before 2024,” he said. “I am confident that Republican primary voters are going to choose well, who are going to choose a standard bearer who will lead us to victory in 2024.”
After engaging donors at the Club for Growth retreat, Pence headlined a separate event later in the day in Palm Beach with other major financial donors. The mix-up with GOP watermen came a week after the former vice president sat down with top Republican donors at a retreat in Austin, Texas hosted by Karl Rove, a longtime GOP strategist and a was a senior adviser to then President George W. Bush who is also a senior adviser to President George W. Bush. Fox News Contributor.
