Trump vs Pence 2024: Ex-POTUS's 'future GOP leaders' list skips former VP who's laying groundwork as WH candidate
Former president Donald Trump rattled off a few names of those he viewed as future leaders of the GOP during a podcast interview earlier this month on March 22. Among them were two Republican senators, Josh Hawley and Ted Cruz, and Florida governor Ron DeSantis. However, one name notably absent from his list was that of former VP Mike Pence.
Pence is slowly re-entering public life and may be looking at a potential run for the White House in 2024. As noted by the Associated Press, the former VP is "writing op-eds, delivering speeches, preparing trips to key primary states, and launching an advocacy group that will likely focus on promoting the Trump administration’s accomplishments." Considering this, shall we see former pals, Trump and Pence, lock horns in the next presidential election?
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It's worth noting that Trump skipping the name of his former Number 2 during the podcast interview with Fox News contributor Lisa Boothe suggests a rather unique challenge for the potential White House candidate. Despite serving as Trump's point man for years, many Republicans feel betrayed by Pence after he signed off on Joe Biden's electoral college victory while presiding over the certification of the 2020 election results.
Pence may have to reinforce his loyalty to Trump in order to prevail in a Republican presidential primary, while concurrently defending his controversial decisions during the final days of the administration after the then-President alleged widespread voter fraud. Some Republicans believe Pence is definitely capable of achieving "this awkward balance," per AP.
“Anybody who can pull off an endorsement of Ted Cruz and become Donald Trump’s vice presidential nominee should not be counted out,” Republican strategist Alice Stewart, who worked for Cruz’s 2016 presidential campaign when Pence endorsed him, told AP. “He has a way of splitting hairs and threading the needle that has paid off in the past.”
According to the news agency, Pence aides usually skip questions about the next presidential election, insisting he is focused on his family and the upcoming midterm elections, when the GOP has a good chance of regaining at least one chamber of Congress.
“I think 2024’s a long time away and if Mike Pence runs for president he will appeal to the Republican base in a way that will make him a strong contender,” Republican Rep Jim Banks of Indiana, who chairs the conservative Republican Study Committee, told AP. Banks has already endorsed a Pence 2024 run. “If and when Mike Pence steps back up to the plate, I think he will have strong appeal among Republicans nationwide," he added.
Meanwhile, Trump aides have cautioned against reading too much into Trump not mentioning Pence in his list. “That was not an exclusive list,” Trump adviser Jason Miller said.
Trump hasn't clarified whether he will seek to run for the presidential elections again in 2024. But in February, he hinted at this possibility while speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Orlando, Florida -- his first major appearance since leaving the White House.
Reiterating claims that he had actually won the November election, Trump announced to an explosion of applause, “Who knows? I may even decide to beat them for the third time.”
"The Republican Party is united," the former president asserted, clarifying that he does not plan to start a new party. "The only division is between a handful of Washington DC establishment political hacks, and everybody else all over the country," he added.