Pence Exit Signals Shrinking GOP Field
The decision by former Vice President Mike Pence to suspend his presidential run on Saturday is a red flag to other GOP hopefuls. He was consistently polling ahead of four other rivals when he halted his campaign, though far behind frontrunning former President Donald Trump.
Pence surprised the audience at the Republican Jewish Coalition when he threw in the towel. “To the American people, I say: This is not my time, but it is still your time. I urge you to hold fast to what matters most — faith, family and the Constitution.”
The now-former candidate added, “It became clear to me, this is not my time.”
According to the RealClearPolitics cumulative average, Pence was polling at 3.5% of likely Republican primary voters.
That low total still placed him well in front of former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (2.4%), Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) (1.6%), former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson (0.6%), and Republican North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum.
Though more will certainly bow out, at least one longshot said he will stay the course until at least the New Hampshire primary. Christie told CNN that he will be in a position to battle Trump “when people actually do start to vote.”
Much like Pence, however, his campaign is built on little more than the obvious fact that he is not Trump. And in 2023, that is a bad thing if a person seeks the GOP presidential nomination.
As for Pence, he never found his footing in the race. Noted mostly for defying his former boss after the controversial 2020 election, the former vice president will likely not heed the good advice he received from Trump.
The 45th president commented at a rally Saturday after Pence’s news broke that his former right-hand man “should endorse me.” Trump reasoned that Pence was there as he had “a great, successful presidency.”
Which of course is true, but it is not likely that Pence will throw his support behind the frontrunner.
Trump elevated Pence from relative political obscurity into the White House. For gratitude, the Indiana native repaid him by turning his back on his mentor as Democrats schemed to bring him down.
Pence will not be missed by most conservatives.
