Vice President Mike Pence recently announced the suspension of his 2024 Presidential campaign, citing the difficulty of highly divided party politics and the increasing difficulty of garnering wide bi-partisan support.
The suspension of the former Indiana governor’s campaign was surrounded by some controversy, as he is widely considered a political centrist in a party that has become increasingly more conservative. Pence was likely hoping to have a better chance of attracting wide bi-partisan support than other more conservative candidates.
Pence has long been viewed as a stalwart believer in the party’s current political platform, and has been a close ally of President Trump since their 2016 election. He has been an instrumental voice in both pushing the administration’s agenda and advocating for conservative values among the party faithful.
However, his centrist views and his close ties to the Trump administration have proved unpopular with some of the more conservative members of the GOP, making it difficult for Pence to attract the kind of popularity necessary to make a serious run for the White House in 2024.
Pence has not given up his political aspirations, however. After suspending his campaign, he announced his intention to form a super PAC to focus on restoring unity and bipartisanship in the nation. In a statement, he expressed the belief that the only way the nation can move forward is by finding a consensus agreement between the two parties that can lead to meaningful and lasting progress.
The recent suspension of his campaign was met with a mixed reception. Supporters lauded the fact that Pence has remained dedicated to his principles and that he has taken a stand on the issue of restoring bipartisanship. Critics, however, saw this as a sign that the Vice President has abandoned the conservative base of the Republican Party.
Though Pence has suspended his campaign for the 2024 election, his desire to promote bipartisanship and unity remains. His establishment of a super PAC dedicated to these goals may be the best hope of fulfilling his political ambitions.