Associated Press
Former Vice President Mike Pence says he will not be backing Donald Trump in the 2024 election.
“It should come as no surprise that I will not be endorsing Donald Trump this year,” Pence said in an interview with Fox News Channel Friday, weighing in for the first time since the former president became the presumptive GOP nominee. Pence ran against Trump for their party’s nomination but dropped his bid before voting began last year.
The decision makes Pence the latest in a series of senior Trump administration officials who have declined to endorse their former boss’s bid to return to the Oval Office. While Republican members of Congress and other GOP officials have largely rallied behind Trump, a vocal minority has continued to oppose his bid.
It also marks the end of a metamorphosis for Pence, who had long been seen as one of Trump’s most loyal defenders but broke with his two-time running mate by refusing to go along with Trump’s unconstitutional scheme to try to remain in power after losing the 2020 election. When Trump’s supporters stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, trying to disrupt the certification of Joe Biden’s win, Pence was forced to flee to a Senate loading dock as rioters chanted, “Hang Mike Pence!” outside.
In order to participate in the Republican primary debates, Pence was required to sign a pledge saying that he would support the party’s eventual nominee. And during the first debate in Milwaukee, Pence was among the candidates who raised their hands when asked whether they would support Trump even if he were convicted in one of his four criminal indictments.
As the campaign progressed, he raised alarms about the party’s resistance to sending aid to Ukraine and called on his fellow Republicans to reject what he called the “siren song of populism” espoused by Trump and his followers.
Pence declined to say whom he would be voting for — “I’m going to keep my vote to myself,” he said — but made clear it wouldn’t be Biden.
“I would never vote for Joe Biden,” he said. “I’m a Republican.”
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Republished with permission of The Associated Press.
11 comments
ScienceBLVR
March 16, 2024 at 9:09 pm
I would never vote for Joe Biden,” he said. “I’m a Republican.”
Many Republicans, including some family members, voted for Biden in 2020, and will again in 2024, since Trump is the GOP candidate..Too little, too late, Mike
Earl Pitts "Sage Political Expert Emeritas" American
March 16, 2024 at 9:10 pm
Good evening Sage Patriots and all my Dook 4 Brains Leftist Bestys,
ALWAYS REMEMBER:
ITS NOT “NEWS” UNTIL “THE SAGE EARL OF POLITICS” WEIGHS IN:
EARL WEIGHS IN:
You, ME – Earl Pitts American, everyone else in America, everyone else on the planet, and finally Everyone aboard The Space Station up there orbiting the Earth – Each And Everyone, One And All, knew Pence Would NOT Endorse Trump.
AND FURTHER MORE:
AMERICA, ITS AN “A €Ffin P” “ASSOCIATED PRESS” ARTICAL.
YAWN ….. YAWN ….. YAWN ….. The Sage Earl Pitts American Rolls Over And Goes Back To Sleep …. (right after making a series of pressure releasing adjustments to Earl’s Johnson) ….. Wheee that felt great America!!! I will be posting more Sage Wisdom for your Edification, Education, and Entertainment tomorrow Morn ‘Ting ….. Relax Your Sphincters America,
Earl Out.
rick whitaker
March 19, 2024 at 1:31 pm
WARNING TROLL COMMENT BY EARL SHITTS THE SPHINCTER MAN
PeterH
March 17, 2024 at 1:23 am
Real conservatives will never vote for Trump. Trump only appeals to the MAGA contingent!
Impeach Biden
March 17, 2024 at 7:42 am
Yet the zombies look for nothing but a “D” on a ballot. Load them busses up at Century Village and that and one other thing is what those Demo zombies are looking for
Dont Say FLA
March 17, 2024 at 1:42 pm
There’s no way to know an R isn’t a MAGA, so looking for D’s is, now more than ever, the most reasonable and most sound approach to voting outside of continuously staying very deeply informed on all candidates and their politics, but ain’t nobody got time for dat
moderates are orphans
March 18, 2024 at 12:16 pm
Disagree. What you speak of is a very small contingent of hard left progressives that make the most noise. Many Dems and traditional conservatives —basically the moderates that make up the majority of this country—are really frustrated and find themselves without a party, having to decide between issues and platforms that are logically inconsistent and neither party actually represents the majority of people who have to earn a paycheck. Many who vote dem now it’s because they’re fed up with the dangerous aspects of the MAGA far right populist movement which has no respect for the constitution—something real and traditional conservatism always revered. And further, the MAGA movement of today is nearly unrecognizable from when it started in 2016 with some basic common sense tenets and a feeling of patriotism that broadly appealed to voters. Now its appeal is based on hate and fear and division (but Dems are not doing a very good job in this either). For many it’s a choice between 4 more years of disastrous and destructive policies vs. the total degradation and dissolution of the American system and constitution into a charismatic leadership with no accountability and self proclaimed totalitarianism with proven criminal intent. American voters are notoriously short sighted and short memories and it looks like MAGA will win regardless. The rest of us will be holding vigil for what used to be our country,. Single party rule in any capacity is far more destructive than divided and competitive politics and government.
rick whitaker
March 19, 2024 at 1:27 pm
moderates are orphans, i am a dem voter of many years. eugene mccarthy was the first campaign i worked with. my guy, mccarthy lost the primary and then the dem candidate , humphrey, lost to nixon. no one i knew back then voted for nixon when mccarthy lost, we all supported humphrey over nixon. as far as this election goes i think you’re wrong. maga will go down in flames. a building can’t stand very long without a foundation, maga is not a foundation.
John L
March 18, 2024 at 9:36 am
I guess Pence is a little upset Trump tried to have him and his family hung at the capitol insurrection.
Andy
March 18, 2024 at 2:28 pm
Because he was threatened with death? Too bad, because other GOP leaders who have no clout of following, also are scared to take the madman on!
Dont Say FLA
March 18, 2024 at 9:20 pm
Is there anyone at all whose political career doesn’t depend on pledging allegiance to Donald J Trump who does endorse Trump?
Far as I can tell, every endorsement of Trump is political self preservation.
Who are Trump’s endorsers who are already retired from politics and have nothing to gain personally from a Trump endorsement?
Is it a very exclusive club? So exclusive it has zero members? I think so!
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