Mike Pence’s campaign is expected to lean heavily on town halls and retail stops aimed at showcasing his personality
Mike Pence is set to rival Donald Trump for the presidency of the United States when he declares his bid for the White House next week.
Pence, who served as Trump’s vice president, will officially launch his campaign at an event in Iowa on Wednesday June 7 – the date of his 64th birthday.
He will also release a video message as part of the launch, according to two people familiar with his plans who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
Pence, who has previously served as governor of Indiana, has become the latest individual to declare he will be standing for the Republican nomination, ahead of next year’s presidential election.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former United Nations (UN) ambassador Nikki Haley are among those who have already announced they will be running.
But former president Trump, who Pence has distanced himself from in recent months, is still the favourite to win the Republican nomination.
He has previously said Trump’s “reckless words” endangered his family and everyone else who was at the Capitol when rioters stormed the building on January 6, 2021.
Pence has called on his party to move on from Trump’s election grievances and warned against the growing tide of populism in the Republican Party.
He has also argued in favour of Social Security and Medicare reforms, something which both Trump and DeSantis have vowed they will not advocate for if elected.
Pence’s team are thought to view early-voting Iowa as a critical battleground to his potential path to victory, and advisers say he plans to campaign aggressively for the state’s conservative, Evangelical Christian voters.
His campaign is expected to lean heavily on town halls and retail stops aimed at showcasing Pence’s personality.
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