Election 2024: Mike Pence Candidate Profile

Former Vice President Mike Pence
Former Vice President Mike Pence formally launched his 2024 Presidential Campaign.

By Eva Levin

A note from the editor: As of October 29, Mike Pence has suspended his 2024 Election campaign. Read more about it here.

In a speech held in Des Moines, Iowa, Mike Pence became the first ever vice president to challenge their running mate. He openly and harshly criticized his former boss, Donald Trump, for his reaction to the January 6th insurrection and his wavering stance on abortion. 

Pence, who has consistently hesitated to criticize the former president, now calls for Trump to never run again. “Anyone who puts themselves over the Constitution should never be president of the United States,” he said during his announcement. “Anyone who asks someone else to put them over the Constitution should never be president again.”

Pence, served as the 48th Vice President from 2017 to 2021. Before that, he was the Governor of Indiana from 2013 to 2017 and represented Indiana’s 6th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2001 to 2013. He garnered national attention as governor for his extreme views on abortion, as he is in favor of a total ban with limited exceptions. Key issues for his campaign are deregulation of businesses, creating a more limited government, and ensuring greater protections for religion.

Pence is joining a crowded field for the Republican primary. Despite his previous experience in the White House, a FiveThirtyEight poll has Pence around 27%, far behind former president Donald Trump, who is polling around 50%.