Mike Pence’s role in saving American democracy from Donald Trump’s coup attempt on January 6, 2021, hasn’t garnered the appreciation of Republican primary voters. As he enters the final weeks leading up to the first scheduled Republican primary debate, Pence falls short of the 40,000 donors required to secure a spot on the stage. Meanwhile, Trump, who faces multiple criminal indictments, maintains a substantial lead in national and early state polls.
Some candidates, in an effort to cater to Trump’s followers, are refusing to criticize him. However, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has taken a different approach by targeting Trump as a threat to democracy. Pence, on the other hand, attempts to strike a middle ground.
According to Republican consultant Sarah Longwell, there is little interest among GOP voters for Mike Pence, with some considering him a traitor or too accommodating of Trump. Many find him “boring” or “milquetoast.” Despite having 100% name recognition, Pence lacks a solid constituency.
Pence received just $1.2 million in donations during the three-month period ending in June, even though he officially announced his candidacy on June 7. Typically, presidential candidates spend months prior to their announcement building donor commitments to ensure a strong financial showing in their first campaign finance filing. In contrast, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who declared his candidacy just two weeks before Pence, raised $20.1 million during the same reporting period.
Pence’s national polling numbers stand at 5.5%, about half of where he was a year ago, tying him for third place with biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy. In Iowa, Pence sits at 3.7%, effectively tied for sixth place with Christie.
While Marc Short, an aide to Pence, declined to disclose the exact number of donors Pence has secured thus far, he stated that the campaign’s strategy of prioritizing direct mail over online fundraising aims to generate more funds, albeit at a slower pace. Short added that Pence had built a list of 130,000 donors through his nonprofit organization, Advancing American Freedom, over the past two years, but conversion to campaign donors takes time. The campaign expects to reach the required number of donors for the August 23 debate.
Pence is the only contender among the dozen GOP rivals attempting to defeat Trump who almost lost his life due to Trump’s actions on January 6. While thousands of Trump’s followers attacked the Capitol, Pence refused to comply with Trump’s demands to award him a second term. Trump responded by accusing Pence of lacking the courage to do as he was instructed. This further incited the mob and led to more individuals storming the building. Some chanted “Hang Mike Pence” as they searched the halls. Pence narrowly avoided these rioters with the help of his Secret Service detail, who safely relocated him, his family, and his top aides.
Despite these events, Pence hesitates to criticize Trump’s behavior. Initially, he simply acknowledged that he and Trump would never agree on what transpired that day. It took nearly a year for Pence to finally state that Trump was “wrong,” following months of Trump’s continued false claims about a stolen election and Pence’s alleged failure to use his authority to overturn the results. Pence maintains that he does not believe Trump should be indicted for his actions on January 6.
In Iowa, where the first votes of the 2024 Republican race will be cast in January, faith-based group The Family Leader’s director, Bob Vander Plaats, believes that Pence’s evangelical Christian background could appeal to like-minded voters. However, Vander Plaats acknowledges that Pence’s perceived disloyalty to Trump on January 6 remains a hurdle due to Trump’s repetitive claims about a stolen election and his attacks on Pence.
Ultimately, Pence’s position in the polls six months away from the caucuses is of little significance, according to conservative talk radio host Erick Erickson. He explains that Trump supporters view Pence as disloyal, while non-Trump supporters see him as too closely aligned with Trump.