Former US Vice President Mike Pence has announced his withdrawal from the 2024 presidential race, citing that “this is not my time.”
Pence disclosed his decision during an address at the Republican Jewish Coalition event in Las Vegas on a Saturday afternoon.
“We always knew this would be an uphill battle, but I have no regrets” Pence said. His decision marks him as the first prominent Republican candidate to suspend his campaign, competing in a field primarily led by former President Donald Trump.
Pence had faced challenges in recent polls, struggling to secure the backing of Republican voters. Additionally, his campaign had incurred substantial debts, with Pence ending September owing $621,000 (£512,038) and holding a modest $1.2 million (£989,446) in campaign funds, notably less than his Republican rivals.
“I am leaving this campaign, but I will never leave the fight for conservative values,” he conveyed in a message to his supporters.
Pence’s once-strong support among Republican voters waned when he publicly diverged from Donald Trump following the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021, and subsequently when he presided over the certification of Joe Biden’s 2020 election results in Congress. Trump chastised Pence, accusing him of lacking “courage” for not overturning the election results in favor of the Democratic leader.
The Capitol rioters even chanted “hang Mike Pence” as they breached the halls of Congress in 2021, contributing to the perception of Pence as a traitor among Trump’s loyalists. In March, Pence revealed that Trump’s encouragement of the rioters had “endangered my family and everyone at the Capitol that day.”
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In his withdrawal announcement, Pence refrained from endorsing any other Republican candidates for the presidential race. Instead, he called on Americans to select a leader who would “appeal to the better angels of our nature” and not only lead the nation to victory but also guide it with civility, upholding the time-honored principles that have historically fortified America’s strength, prosperity, and freedom.
Pence’s decision to withdraw from the Republican presidential campaign comes just before the third presidential debate scheduled for November 8.