Former Vice President Mike Pence is joining the 2024 Republican presidential primary.
On Wednesday, Pence held a campaign kick-off event in Ankeny, Iowa, and made a negative comparison between former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden.
“Most Americans treat each other with kindness and respect even when we disagree. We know how to be good neighbors. It’s not too much to ask our leaders to do the same,” the former vice president said.
Pence continued, “But sadly it’s clear that neither Joe Biden nor Donald Trump share this belief. And neither of them intend to even try to bring our country together.”
“I believe it’s not just about civility. To craft real solutions to the monumental challenges the American people are facing at home and abroad, we need leaders who will lead with respect for every American,” he added.
Watch the video below:
Former VP Mike Pence (R) compares President Biden and Donald Trump:
— The Recount (@therecount) June 7, 2023
“Most Americans treat each other with kindness and respect … Neither Joe Biden nor Donald Trump share this belief. And neither of them intend to even try to bring our country together.” pic.twitter.com/NCn90JvyBX
At a separate point, Pence addressed why he would challenge his former running mate. He cited the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol as he said Trump’s words were “reckless” and they “endangered my family and everyone at the Capitol.”
“The American people deserve to know that on that day, President Trump also demanded that I choose between him and the Constitution… I chose the Constitution and I always will,” Pence added in reference to the former president’s pressure for him to send the 2020 election results back to the states.
Mike Pence: "January 6 was a tragic day in the life of our nation…The American people deserve to know that on that day, President Trump also demanded that I choose between him and the Constitution…I chose the Constitution." pic.twitter.com/5N4l9dUFHE
— Republican Voters Against Trump (@AccountableGOP) June 7, 2023
He continued to argue Trump should “never” be president again:
“I had no right to overturn the election and Kamala Harris will have no right to overturn the election when we beat them in 2024. I believe that anyone who puts themselves over the Constitution should never be president of the United States. And anyone who asks someone else to put themselves over the Constitution should never be president again.”
In a video announcing his campaign first shared with Fox News earlier on Wednesday, Pence said, “We can turn this country around. But different times call for different leadership. Today, our party and our country need a leader that will appeal, as Lincoln said, to the better angels of our nature.”
“We can bring this country back. We can defend our nation and secure our border. We can revive our economy and put our nation back on a path to a balanced budget, defend our liberties and give America a new beginning for life,” he added.
FiveThirtyEight’s polling aggregator shows Trump leading the primary field with 53.7% of the vote.
Meanwhile, Pence receives 5.4%.