Mike Pence is dropping out of the 2024 presidential race.
The former vice president, 64, revealed Saturday at an event held by the Republican Jewish Coalition in Las Vegas that he has suspended his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination.
The politician revealed the news by speaking to the audience and quoting the Bible, and finally announced that “it became clear to me that this is not my time.”
“After much prayer and thought, I have decided to end my campaign for president effective today,” Pence said. “I’m leaving this campaign now, but let me promise you that I will never abandon the fight for conservative values and I will never stop fighting to elect principled Republican leaders to every office in the country, God willing.”
After a long pause, Pence added that he had “no regrets” despite the “uphill battle” during his campaign.
“The only thing that would be harder than not doing it would be if we didn’t try at all,” the former vice president said. “Now I say to the American people, this is not my time, but it is still your time. I encourage you to hold fast to what is most important: faith, family and the Constitution of the United States of America.”
Mike Pence speaks after suspending his presidential campaign on October 28.
Ethan Miller/Getty
Mike Pence questions Donald Trump’s candidacy after the January 6 indictment
Pence previously spent four years in the White House as former President Donald Trump’s vice president, and initially filed with the Federal Election Commission for his own campaign back in June.
During his campaign, Pence faced competition for the Republican nomination from the likes of tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and of course Trump, 77, whose actions he recently condemned during the nomination campaign.
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Back in August, after a federal grand jury indicted Trump in an investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol, Pence spoke out about the charges — sharing in a statement that they were an “important reminder” that “anyone who puts themselves above the Constitution would never should have been president of the United States.”
I will have more to say about the government’s case after I review the indictment, Pence continued at the time. “The former president is entitled to the presumption of innocence, but with this indictment, his candidacy means more talk about January 6 and more distractions.”
New Republican primary poll puts Ron DeSantis in fifth place as potential Trump challengers get a boost
Pence’s decision to suspend his campaign Saturday comes less than two weeks before the Nov. 8 Republican primary in Miami — the third GOP debate and one for which he has not yet qualified, according to Associated Press.
The FiveThirtyEight poll, last updated Saturday, showed Pence trailing four opponents with just 3.8%. By comparison, Trump had 56.9 percent.
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Source: HIS Education