Former Vice President Mike Pence is not yet ruling out running for president even if his former running mate does.
On Wednesday, Pence was asked by CNN’s Randi Kaye, “If Donald Trump runs for president, will you still run?”
“Our focus is on 2022. But I can honestly tell you in 2023, my family and I will do what we have always done. We’ll reflect, we’ll pray, and determine where we might best serve. And we’ll go where we’re called.”
Watch the video below:
.@randikayeCNN asks Pence if he'll run if Trump does. He turns around to say, "I can honestly tell you in 2023, my family and I will do what we have always done. We'll reflect, we'll pray, and determine where we might best serve. And we'll go where we're called." pic.twitter.com/x2FS2EDxuB
— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) December 9, 2021
Former Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, who is seen as a potential 2024 contender said in April that she would not run if former President Donald Trump did.
“I would not run if President Trump ran,” she said, adding, “And I would talk to him about it. That’s something that we will have a conversation about at some point if that decision is something that has to be made.”
Meanwhile, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), another potential 2024 candidate, has not publicly said if he would if would run if Trump did.
According to Politico, Trump has complained to guests at his Mar-a-Lago resort that DeSantis has not publicly made such a declaration.
The outlet reports that Trump told advisers DeSantis privately gave him such assurances, but “that’s not enough for the former president — he wants DeSantis to say it in public.”
During remarks in June, Pence said that he had spoken to Trump “many times since we’ve left office,” but he added, “I don’t know if we’ll ever see eye to eye on” the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol.
Supporters of Trump stormed the building as lawmakers met to certify the 2020 presidential election results, and some chanted “Hang Mike Pence” after he refused to try to overturn the election results.
In an interview with Jonathan Karl of ABC News, Trump was asked about that chant. He responded, “Well, the people were very angry…It’s common sense, Jon. It’s common sense that you’re supposed to protect. How can you — if you know a vote is fraudulent, right? — how can you pass on a fraudulent vote to Congress? How can you do that?”
He also said he was not worried about his vice president’s safety because “I thought he was well-protected, and I had heard that he was in good shape.”
