A spokesman for former Vice President Mike Pence denied involvement in a Federal Election Commission filing as a possible presidential run made headlines this week. The statement of candidacy remains on the FEC website, though Devin O’Malley, an advisor to Pence, said on Twitter that the former running mate to former President Donald Trump “did not file for President”.
Former Vice President Mike Pence did not file to run for President today. https://t.co/DV7PjhTD6X
— Devin O'Malley (@devin_omalley) December 26, 2022
The phony filing and swirling rumors of candidacy have not surfaced out of thin air. Pence stated in a November interview with ABC’s “World News Tonight” that he has given “prayerful consideration” to the idea of running for president in 2024.
Trump has been especially critical of Pence and said it would be “very disloyal” if the former vice president decided to run against him. According to a poll from RealClearPolitics in December, most Republican voters would agree as only 7% would back Pence in a presidential GOP primary. Donald Trump leads the same poll with 40%.
Other possible candidates include South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin, Florida Senator and former presidential candidate Marco Rubio, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and several other sitting elected officials.
The response to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago announcement from Republican leaders comes with an eerily similar tone as the previous presidential campaign in 2016. Former House Speaker Paul Ryan said last month that anyone “not named Trump” would beat Biden in a 2024 run. Ryan made similar comments in 2016 though ultimately gave the businessman from New York his endorsement prior to his victory.
Everyone remembers how the story ended in 2016, and there are many researchers and political analysts who see a path for Trump to not only win the primary, but secure the White House once again.
As to whether Pence would be the one to dethrone the leading 76-year-old GOP candidate is still up in the air. The 50th governor of Indiana has a lot of uphill climbing to do if he is hoping to make up ground in the current polls.
