Written by Brandon Goldman @realbgold
Former Vice President Mike Pence suspends presidential campaign amid low polling. He announced on Saturday that he has decided to suspend his campaign for president. The announcement was made just before a speech in Las Vegas at the Republican Jewish Coalition’s Annual Leadership Summit, also attended by many of the other Republican candidates.
As of October 24th, Pence had been polling around 3.5% nationally. In a race defined almost exclusively by Trump vs. “the field,” the former vice president had been unable to pick up much support even after two presidential debates.
“Now I’m leaving this campaign,” said Pence, “but let me promise you: I will never leave the fight for conservative values, and I will never stop fighting to elect principled Republican leaders to every office in the land. So help me God.”
Following Pence’s announcement, Florida Governor and presidential candidate Ron DeSantis praised Pence as “a principled man of faith who has worked tirelessly to advance the conservative cause.”
Mike Pence’s path to victory had been dubious ever since his and former President Trump’s split in the aftermath of the January 6th riot at the U.S. Capitol. Without any support from Trump’s base, Pence was left to fight seven other Republican candidates for the number two spot, with only around half of Republican voters still up for grabs. As the primary race progresses, coverage will be updated.
Donald Trump continues to dominate the polls with nearly 60% national support, a massive 46.5 points clear of the next closest competitor, Ron DeSantis, at 12.6%.
Pence’s decision to drop out may be the first of many as campaigns begin to run low on cash. South Carolina Senator Tim Scott has even shifted many of his resources out of New Hampshire to bet it all on Iowa.
It is unclear what the former vice president’s next move will be—possibly to endorse another viable candidate such as Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, or Tim Scott.