Mike Pence’s Premature Exit from Presidential Race Underlines Trump’s Continued Dominance Over the Republican Party

With a career that many aspiring politicians would envy, Mike Pence boasts an impressive CV. He has served as a member of Congress, as the governor of a significant Midwestern state, and as Vice President of the United States.

Under conventional circumstances, such a resume would typically set a candidate on a strong path toward their party’s presidential nomination. However, we are not in conventional times. Pence’s unexpected decision to terminate his presidential campaign two months ahead of the first Republican primary contest highlights the pervasive influence exerted by former President Donald Trump over the Republican Party, especially regarding his unfounded claims about the 2020 election, which he lost to Democrat Joe Biden.

Pence’s surprising announcement came on a Saturday in Las Vegas, during a summit sponsored by the Republican Jewish Coalition. In many respects, the fate of Pence’s campaign was sealed much earlier, specifically around January 6, 2021. During this period, Trump erroneously believed that Pence had the authority to reject the election results as President of the Senate—a power Pence did not possess.

After four years as a steadfast ally of Trump, Pence found himself ostracized, even becoming a target during the infamous Capitol riot. His loyalty was further questioned when Trump supporters defaced campaign signs, erasing Pence’s name or burying it underground. Although the issue faded somewhat during his campaign, Pence still faced intermittent jeers and boos.

“From the outset, it was evident to Pence’s backers that die-hard Trump loyalists would never forgive his adherence to the Constitution on January 6,” observed Art Pope, a GOP donor from North Carolina who had supported Pence’s candidacy. “Conversely, there were Americans who could never pardon his association with the Trump administration in the first place.”

Pence found himself in a precarious balancing act. He ran his campaign leveraging the accomplishments of the Trump-Pence administration, while simultaneously criticizing his former superior. He faulted Trump for deviating from conservative tenets on subjects like abortion and for prioritizing his own interests above the Constitution.

Despite these efforts, his stand on the January 6 event failed to sway conservative primary voters. Survey data from Big Big News-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research indicated that a majority of Republicans continued to view Biden’s election as illegitimate, while a substantial portion felt that Trump had committed no wrongdoing leading up to January 6.

The Republican Party of today is fundamentally different from the one that nominated Pence as Vice President in 2016. “The individuals who once gave him standing ovations have now turned their backs on him,” noted Frank Luntz, a veteran pollster and focus group moderator.

Pence dedicated his campaign to espousing traditional conservative views, such as supporting Ukraine, even though these positions have become increasingly unpopular in a GOP now shaped by Trump’s populism and isolationism.

Financial challenges also beleaguered Pence’s campaign, which accumulated over $600,000 in debt by September’s end. Efforts to turn the tide after the first debate proved futile, and by the time of the second debate, Pence found himself marginalized.

The campaign’s financial struggles presented a particular dilemma for Pence, who lacks independent wealth. Continuing on to the Iowa caucuses would have entailed accumulating debt that could have taken years to pay off.

Supporters and insiders acknowledge that Pence’s campaign was essentially doomed by the time of the second debate in September. Amid these circumstances, Pence decided to exit the race, a move that Republican donor Larry Post described as unsurprising but warranted.

Pence’s withdrawal may not significantly affect the standing of his competitors, but as Chris Christie, former New Jersey Governor and an outspoken Trump critic, mentioned, it indicates a narrowing of the field, a phenomenon long-anticipated by those opposing Trump.

“In the absence of a viable path to victory, his decision to exit the race was a prudent one,” said Pope, expressing the belief that Trump is not invincible.

Reported by Colvin from New York.

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More about Mike Pence’s Withdrawal from Presidential Race

• Mike Pence’s Official Campaign Website
• Republican Jewish Coalition Summit Details
• Big Big News-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research Polling Data
• Donald Trump’s Influence on the GOP
• January 6, 2021, Capitol Attack Overview
• Overview of the 2024 Republican Presidential Candidates
• Chris Christie’s Campaign Strategy and Statements
• Financial Struggles of Political Campaigns
• U.S. Election Process and Primary Schedule