Former Vice President Mike Pence sought to bolster his flatlining 2024 presidential campaign by attacking his former boss and assailing the rise of conservative populism that has upended the GOP establishment since billionaire outsider Donald J. Trump entered the political arena.
In a Wednesday speech at New Hampshire’s Saint Anselm College, the site of Trump’s CNN town hall as well as the launching pad for Chris Christie’s presidential campaign, the ex-veep called for Republican voters to reject the “siren song of populism” and predicted a grim future for the party if it doesn’t undergo a course correction.
“Today I ask my fellow Republicans this,” he told the audience. “In the days to come, will we be the party of conservatism, or will we follow the siren song of populism unmoored to conservative principles? The future of this movement and this party belongs to one or the other, not both.”
“Republican voters face a choice … Will we be the party of conservatism or will we follow the siren song of populism, unmoored to conservative principles?”
— 2024 GOP candidate Mike Pence at a campaign speech in New Hampshire pic.twitter.com/SxiCNwSStM
— The Recount (@therecount) September 6, 2023
“Should the new populism of the right seize and guide our party, the Republican Party we’ve long known will cease to exist and the fate of American freedom would be in doubt,” he said, an obvious swipe at Trump.
“The growing faction would substitute our faith in limited government and traditional values with an agenda stitched together by little else than personal grievances and performative outrage,” Pence added.
“The truth is the Republican Party did not begin on a golden escalator in 2015” he added, referring to Trump’s famous ride down the Trump Tower escalator into history as he announced his presidential campaign.
Pence also made an appearance on Fox News on Wednesday where he referred to Trump as his “former running mate” and slammed his “imitators” in a likely jab at another outsider who has captivated conservatives, biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy whom he clashed with at the recent Republican presidential primary debate.
Mike Pence went on Fox News to trash conservative populism and to call President Donald Trump “my former running mate.”
Trump is beating Pence by about 60, and he’s polling at about 60%. The people have picked someone and it’s not you.
Have some respect, Mr. Vice President. pic.twitter.com/SyYDzNHWpG
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) September 6, 2023
Trump reacted to the strong words from his former underling, taking to Truth Social to react.
“Was just watching Mike Pence make up stories about me, which are absolutely false. I never said for him to put me before the Constitution—I don’t talk that way, and wouldn’t even think to suggest it. Mike failed badly on calling out Voter Fraud in the 2020 Presidential Election, and based on the fact that he is at approximately 2% in the Polls, with no money or support, he obviously did the wrong thing. His advisors have led him down a very bad path!” Trump wrote.
(Screenshot: Truth Social)
In another Truth Social post, the former president said, “For 7 years Mike Pence only spoke well of me. Now he’s decided to go to the ‘Dark Side.’ Why didn’t he do this years before, just like why didn’t DOJ and Deranged Jack Smith bring these Fake Indictments three years ago. Why did they wait until the middle of my Campaign where I am beating DeSanctimonious and all others badly, and beating Biden in almost every Poll?”
(Screenshot: Truth Social)
Pence is currently mired in the low single digits with little hope of overtaking Trump who despite his myriad of legal troubles at the hands of Democrat prosecutors, is running away with the race.
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