Mike Pence launches White House bid: 'God is not done with America yet'
Former Vice President Mike Pence formally launched his long-expected bid for the Republican presidential nomination Wednesday, declaring that "God is not done with America yet."
Pence, who served as vice president to former President Donald Trump for four years, announced his candidacy in a Twitter video posted early Wednesday morning.
"I believe in the American people, and I have faith God is not done with America yet," he wrote in the tweet accompanying the video. "Together, we can bring this Country back, and the best days for the Greatest Nation on Earth are yet to come!"
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I believe in the American people, and I have faith God is not done with America yet. Together, we can bring this Country back, and the best days for the Greatest Nation on Earth are yet to come! ???????? #Pence2024pic.twitter.com/A8EkqgCDAm
— Mike Pence (@Mike_Pence) June 7, 2023
"Before God and my family, I'm announcing I'm running for president of the United States," Pence proclaimed.
The former vice president began the ad by touting his roots in Indiana as a "son of the heartland" and the "grandson of an Irish immigrant." He expressed gratitude that his family has "lived the American dream." He outlined his career in public service, which includes 12 years representing Indiana in the U.S. House of Representatives, four years as governor of Indiana, and most recently, as vice president.
Pence, whose relationship with Trump has soured following the January 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot where Trump supporters sought to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election, did not mention the man he served under by name but made several veiled references to him.
"I'll always be proud of the progress we made together for a stronger, more prosperous America," he declared as he reflected on his service in the Trump administration.
At the same time, Pence appeared to take a swipe at his former boss's combative style: "Today, our party and our country need a leader that will appeal, as Lincoln said, to the better angels of our nature."
While Pence did not directly mention Trump, whom he is now facing off against in the Republican primary, he did not hesitate to criticize the record of the current occupant of the White House: President Joe Biden.
"Today, our country's in a lot of trouble," he lamented. "President Joe Biden and the radical left have weakened America at home and abroad."
"The American dream is being crushed under runaway inflation. Wages are dropping. Recession is looming. Our southern border is under siege and the enemies of freedom are on the march around the world," he asserted.
As Pence warned that "timeless American values are under assault as never before," excerpts from news stories focusing on opposition to critical race theory by American parents, a trans-identified male participating in women's swimming and drag queens interrupting a faith-based story hour appeared on the screen.
He expressed optimism for the future.
"We're better than this," he said. "We can bring this country back. We can defend our nation and secure our border. We can revive our economy and put our nation back on a path to a balanced budget, defend our liberties and give America a new beginning for life."
"I believe in the American people and I have faith. God is not done with America yet," he insisted as his launch video concluded. "Together, we can bring this country back and the best days for the greatest nation on Earth are yet to come."
Pence's presidential announcement coincides with his 64th birthday and comes as the 2024 presidential election is less than 17 months away.
The RealClearPolitics average of polls measuring voter support for declared and hypothetical presidential candidates in the Republican primary taken between May 8 and May 22 shows Pence in a distant fourth place, capturing 3.8% of the vote.
Trump remains the clear frontrunner, with 53% of the vote, followed by the recently declared Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis at 22.4% and former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley at 4.4%. The Republican National Committee announced last week that the first Republican presidential debate is scheduled for August 23 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
The criteria for participation in the debate includes an actively declared candidacy, achieving at least 1% support in at least three national polls or two national polls and one poll of voters in two of the first four states to hold presidential primaries, securing support from at least 40,000 unique donors and 200 unique donors per state or territory in at least 20 states or territories and vowing to support the eventual Republican nominee for president in the general election.
Ryan Foley is a reporter for The Christian Post. He can be reached at: ryan.foley@christianpost.com
