Donald Trump served a controversial four-year term as President of the United States, with many praising his economic policy, while others were critical of his stance on immigration and labeled him a divisive figure. Reelection was always going to be a tough bid for Trump, but the road got tougher with the COVID-19 pandemic, which ended up being a major reason why President Joe Biden was elected to replace him in 2020. After his loss, Trump fought to prove voter fraud in several swing states across the country, but there was no proof to his claims and he left the White House in January of 2021.
More than two years after leaving the White House, Trump has already announced his intentions to run again in 2024. Republicans across the country are divided on Trump's 2024 campaign, with many in the party believing that Trump is the best person to correct the course of American politics, while others are looking for someone new. One person who has made his position clear on Trump is his former Vice President, Mike Pence.
Like Donald Trump, Mike Pence was controversial with many Americans but for different reasons. While Trump was very outspoken about his stances on political rivals and was often considered immature by many, Pence was much more collected, which he showed with his strong performances in Vice-Presidential debates against Tim Kaine and Kamala Harris. What made Pence so controversial with many Americans was his hardline Conservative social stances that many considered much more extreme than Donald Trump.
Pence was once well respected in the Republican Party but is now viewed by many in the party as a traitor for refusing to overturn the 2020 election results. This angered many conservatives who believed (and many still believe) that the 2020 race was stolen from Trump, leading to many Republicans labeling Pence a RINO (Republican in name only). Pence has not been shy about criticizing Trump, stating that history will hold the former president accountable for the January 6th Capitol Riots and accusing Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson of cherry-picking footage of the events to label it a peaceful protest.
Mike Pence continues to make headlines for better or worse, which has led to many speculating if he has a big announcement to make in the Spring. The former Vice President appears to agree that there is much-needed change within the G.O.P., but does he believe he is a good change of pace? Pence has stated that he has not yet decided on a 2024 Presidential bid, but with fellow former Trump-ally Nikki Haley announcing her intentions to run for the nomination, there could be an opening for Pence, but will it happen?
At this point, it is unclear if Pence will announce his intentions to run for the White House, but if he does, it is doubtful that he will even earn the Republican nomination due to his unpopularity in the party. Despite his experience, staunchly conservative values, and strong debating skills, the chances of Pence even winning states in the primaries are also slim. Even if Pence somehow won the nomination, he would not be appealing to independent voters and has already alienated Trump's base, which would likely result in a blowout presidential election loss.
There is still plenty of time for Pence and other candidates to announce presidential bids, and with his recent remarks about Trump, Pence may be preparing to make a presidential run. The Republicans appear divided, with many split on whether or not to embrace Trump, with Pence being on the side of the party that wants to move on from the former president. If the G.O.P. wants to move on from Trump, that likely includes Pence, who served as his Vice President.
Pence likely knows he is not popular with not only Republicans but Democrats and Independents as well. If Pence runs, his motivations may simply be to make Trump look bad to those on the fence about him, and to make another candidate look better. The road to the Republican nomination is long, and the road to the 2024 Presidential Election is even longer, and only time will tell what happens between now and then.
Have an opposing viewpoint to this opinion? Let us know. All views are welcome. Send your thoughts to our Editorial Staff – Editor Dylan Hicks dhicks@student.dean.edu or Dean Daily Faculty Advisor, Professor John Rooke jrooke@dean.edu
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