GYD — Former Vice President Mike Pence has formally suspended his campaign for the 2024 Republican Presidential nomination. This comes after The New York Times published an article in which they claimed that Pence had just $1.2 million left in his campaign, a paltry sum compared to fellow competitors Donald Trump ($37.5 million), Ron DeSantis ($5.5 million), and Nikki Haley ($9.1 million).
These figures were first reported by Reuters, NBC News, and The Hill, respectively.
Pence announced this to the crowd’s chagrin during an event at the annual Republican Jewish Coalition in Las Vegas, Nev. on October 28.
“I came here to say it’s become clear to me [that] this is not my time,” Pence said. “So after much deliberation, I have decided to suspend my campaign for president effective today.“I have no regrets. The only thing that would have been harder than coming up short would have been if we never tried at all.”
As a result of Pence’s decision to certify the results of the 2020 presidential election, he has faced criticism from prominent GOP leaders and his former boss Donald Trump. Those who oppose Pence’s run have pointed to his open criticism of Trump’s decision to run in the 2024 election as evidence of his inability to unify the party and country thereafter.
Fellow Republican party contender Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., commented on Pence’s decision in a post to ‘X’ (formerly known as Twitter).
“The Vice President has been a prayer partner, a friend, and a man of integrity and deep conviction,” Scott wrote. have no doubt Mike and Karen [Pence’s wife] will continue to serve this nation and honor the Lord in all they do.”
Republican party front-runner Gov. Nikki Haley, R-S.C., also made comments regarding Pence’s choice to suspend his campaign. In her speech during the RJC, Haley said Pence has been a “good man of faith.”
“He has been a good man of service,” Haley said. “He has fought for America, and he has fought for Israel, and we all owe him a debt of gratitude.”
According to polling service Five Thirty Eight, as of Oct. 28, 2023, Pence (3.8%) was fifth in polling, falling behind contemporaries Ron DeSantis (14.1%), Haley (8.0%), and Vivek Ramaswamy (5.8%). Each of these candidates is still attempting to catch up to Donald Trump (56.9%), who still has a stranglehold over the Republican Party nomination ahead of the 2024 election and shows no signs of wavering anytime soon.
Candidates will attempt to distinguish themselves from the crowd during the third Republican Presidential Debate on Nov. 8 at the Arsht Center in Miami, Fla.