Former US Vice President Mike Pence has ended his presidential campaign. Reuters noted that Pence had spent months trying to convince Republican voters that he was the best alternative to Donald Trump, whom he once served with unwavering loyalty.
Mike Pence in June, he joined the race for the presidential seat as nominated by the Republican Party, competing, among others, Donald Trump. He tried to distance himself from the former president’s controversial style USA. He called for “restoring 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 election campaign
– I came to say that it has become clear to me: this is not my time. Therefore, after much prayer and deliberation, I have now decided to suspend my campaign, said the 64-year-old.
“I’m leaving 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,” the former US vice president said.
Mike PenceEPA/CAROLINE BREHMAN
Reuters noted that Pence refrained from endorsing anyone in his speech but appeared to attack his former boss. A source close to Pence laughed when asked whether the former US vice president would support Trump.
Nikki Haley, former South Carolina Governor, praised Pence as a fighter for America and Israel. In turn, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis – who, like Haley, is taking part in the race for the Republican Party nomination – wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that Pence was a man of faith and principles who worked tirelessly for conservative values.
Low results in the polls
ABC News noted that Pence’s support for military aid to Ukraine sets him apart from other Republican candidates. He also pushed for at least a 15-week federal abortion ban and other conservative initiatives.
But Pence had difficulty winning over voters who were fiercely loyal to Trump. He didn’t get more than single-digit support in the polls. Moreover, due to the poor fundraising results for his election campaign, at least two employees were dismissed in early October.
– If Mike Pence had $200 million, it wouldn’t have changed the polls. I don’t think it’s necessarily a question of financing. It’s more about the fact that his message is not relevant to the current times, argued Barry Bennett, former campaign manager of Ben Carson and Trump advisor, whose statement was quoted by ABC News.
Elections The US presidential elections are scheduled for November 2024.
Main photo source: EPA/CAROLINE BREHMAN