Former Vice President Mike Pence is set to announce next week that he will be seeking the Republican nomination for president, according to sources familiar with his plans.
The impending announcement pits Pence against his old boss, former President Donald Trump, in what’s shaping up to be a bruising GOP primary. The former Indiana governor will launch his campaign on June 7 — his 64th birthday — with a video and a speech in Des Moines, Iowa, before attending a CNN Town Hall.
News of Pence’s candidacy was first reported by NBC News.
Allies of the former vice president launched a super PAC last week to support his expected candidacy.
“The country’s at real crossroads and the Republican Party needs a strong conservative candidate who can win,” Scott Reed, co-chair of the Committed to America PAC and a longtime GOP strategist, told The Associated Press. “Pence has the experience, the unparalleled character, communication skills and the conservative credentials to win both the nomination and a general election.”
The new group is co-chaired by Reed, who previously served as political director of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and managed Bob Dole’s 1996 presidential campaign, and former Texas Rep. Jeb Hensarling, who developed a close friendship with Pence when they served in the House and is a former chair of the House Republican Conference.
Pence faces an uphill battle to the nomination with much of the attention and fundraising focused so far on Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. The crowded field also includes former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott. Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is also set to announce his campaign next week, and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum is slated to announce a presidential run on June 7 in Fargo.
His team sees early-voting Iowa as critical to his potential path to victory and advisers say he plans to campaign aggressively for the state’s conservative, Evangelical Christian voters. The campaign is expected to lean heavily on town halls and retail stops aimed at showcasing Pence’s personality as he tries to emerge from former President Trump’s shadow.
