At his formal campaign kickoff in Ankeny, Iowa, Pence recalled how Trump had asked him to block the certification of Joe Biden’s 2020 election win. Pence presided over Congress on January 6, 2021. “The American people deserve to know, on that day, President Trump also demanded I choose between him and the Constitution. Now voters will be faced with the same choice. I chose the Constitution, and I always will,” Pence said to applause from the crowd at Des Moines Area Community College.

Furthermore, Pence, like others vying for Republican ticket, also doubled down on his call for abortion restrictions. He pushed his conservative agenda. “Timeless American values are under assault as never before,” said Pence in the announcement video, in which he quoted former presidents Abraham Lincoln and Ronald Reagan. His candidacy marks a rare instance of a former vice-president contending for the nomination against a former president with whom he shared a ticket. (The Guardian, 2023)

A mention of the competition…

Pence, joined a crowded field for the Republican nomination. As he is running alongside DeSantis and Trump. North Dakota’s governor, Doug Burgum, announced his candidacy in a Wall Street Journal piece. The former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie officially joined the race in a New Hampshire town hall.

In a November 2022 interview with NPR’s Steve Inskeep, Pence said his draw to the presidency boils down to sense of service. He said he believes that the people want to get back to the policies he and Trump championed during their time in office: a strong military; conservative courts; support for allies and standing up to enemies.

In conclusion, Pence has appealed to his base of evangelical Christians and anti-abortion activists.“God is not done with America yet,” he said in the announcement video.