Former US VP Mike Pence announces 2024 presidential candidacy

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
5 Jun 2023 20:26

Sources familiar with the matter tell Reuters that the former VP is set to launch his campaign through a video and a speech in the state of Iowa on Wednesday.

Vice President Mike Pence at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), in Maryland, US on February 22, 2018 (AP)

Former US Vice President Mike Pence announced his candidacy on Monday for the 2024 Republican presidential race, rivaling former President Donald Trump.

Sources familiar with the matter told Reuters that the former VP is set to launch his campaign through a video and a speech in the state of Iowa on Wednesday.

According to a person familiar with Pence's upcoming plans, he said Iowa is "a place that values Mike Pence's principles — traditional conservative principles — deep-rooted faith and uncommon character."

Pence once served as Trump's Vice President but claimed to withdraw his support for Trump when he tried to overturn the results of the 2020 election.

Pence has formerly stated that his support of the Jan. 6 Capitol riots endangered his family who were in the building at the time. It is worth noting that Pence was the focal point of the January 6 riots because he was scheduled to preside over the US Congress as a whole to officially declare Biden as the winner of the November 2020 presidential election.

His announcement comes amid other Republican candidacies such as that of Trump, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, US Senator Tim Scott, and former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley.

Former National Security Advisor John Bolton also said back in December that he would "absolutely" run for the elections after he slammed Trump as "un-American" for wanting to "terminate" the US Constitution.

I’m running for president to lead our Great American Comeback. pic.twitter.com/YmkWkLaVDg
— Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) May 24, 2023

It is reported that former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie will also join the race on Tuesday, which would bring the candidates pertaining to the party into double digits.

Current US President Joe Biden is also aiming high for a second term in the presidential elections.