Following the announcement of former Vice President Mike Pence suspending his 2024 campaign, former President Donald Trump responded by urging Pence to endorse his own candidacy.
While speaking at a rally in Las Vegas, Nevada on Saturday, Trump said, “Everybody that leaves seems to be endorsing me…You know people are leaving now and they’re all endorsing me.”
This statement follows the endorsements of President Trump by two Republican presidential candidates, Perry Johnson and Larry Elder, who decided to withdraw from their own White House campaigns. As the current frontrunner in the GOP primary, President Trump maintains a substantial lead over all other contenders vying for the position.
“I don’t know about Mike Pence: He should endorse me,” President Trump told the Las Vegas rally after news of Pence’s dropout was released. “He should endorse me. You know why? Because I had a great, successful presidency, and he was the vice president. He should endorse me.”
Former President Trump continued, saying, “I chose him, made him vice president, but people in politics can be very disloyal.”
On a preceding Saturday, Pence declared the conclusion of his campaign, citing prolonged difficulties in the polls, along with reports of inadequate fundraising and financial challenges within his campaign.
“Traveling over the country over the past six months, I came here to say it’s become clear to me: This is not my time,” he said. “So after much prayer and deliberation, I have decided to suspend my campaign for president effective today.”
Pence did not offer an endorsement to anyone during his speech, saying, “I urge all my fellow Republicans here, give our country a Republican standard bearer that will, as Lincoln said, appeal to the better angels of our nature,” adding that Republicans should pick someone who leads with “civility.”
In September, Pence’s campaign account was left with a mere $1.18 million, significantly below the typical amount for a presidential race and substantially less than his competitors. In contrast, Trump reported approximately $37 million in his campaign account, while Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis had an estimated $25 to $30 million.
Furthermore, Pence’s campaign was burdened with a debt of $621,000, which exceeded more than half of his remaining funds. The campaign was also facing challenges in meeting donor requirements for the November 8 debate.
Pence’s choice to step back spares him from accruing further debt and shields him from the potential embarrassment of potentially falling short in qualifying for the third Republican primary on November 8.
