Former United States Vice President Mike Pence has taken steps to officially enter the race for the presidency by filing documents with the Federal Election Commission. It is expected that Pence will publicly announce his bid on Wednesday. The 63-year-old Republican will be challenging his former boss, Donald Trump, for the party’s nomination.
Pence served as Trump’s deputy from 2017 until he left the White House following the 2020 presidential election, which ended in defeat for their ticket. The relationship between Pence and Trump became strained after the election, particularly when Trump supporters stormed the Capitol on January 6, 2021, while Pence was overseeing the certification of Joe Biden’s victory. There were allegations that Trump incited his supporters to make threats against Pence.
Pence later criticized Trump’s remarks and behavior, calling them dangerous. However, when it came to the impeachment proceedings against Trump for his role in the Capitol attack, Pence rejected the idea, citing concerns about further dividing the country. He also defended Trump against allegations of making hush payments to a porn star.
The United States presidential election is scheduled to take place in November 2024.