US Voters Seek ‘New Leadership’ After Disappointing GOP Midterm Elections: Mike Pence – National

Former Vice President Mike Pence said Wednesday that voters are “looking for new leadership” after the Republican Party’s disappointing midterm elections.

In an interview with The Associated Press just hours after Trump announced another White House run, Pence said whether he thinks the former president is fit to return to his old job. But he implicitly positioned himself as a potential replacement for Republicans seeking conservative leadership without the turmoil of the Trump era.

“I think there are better options in 2024,” Pence said. rice field.

When asked if he blamed Trump for this week’s Republican loss, he said, “Certainly, the president’s continued efforts to re-denounce the last election played a role.

While considering his own presidential campaign, Pence has been making his name known by promoting his new memoir, So Help Me. If Pence moves forward, he will be in direct competition with Trump. It’s a particularly nasty clash for the former vice president, who has spent his four years defending Mr Trump during his tenure, refusing to publicly criticize him until after Jan. 6, 2021.

That is, as Pence presides over Democrat Joe Biden’s victory proof, a mob of Trump supporters, driven by Trump’s lie that Pence can somehow veto the election results, walks into the Capitol. It’s time to raid a building in The Vice President said that some of the mob was “Hang Mike Pence!”

Still, Pence on Wednesday remained largely tight-lipped about criticizing Trump beyond the riots. That hesitation reflects the reality that the former president is still very popular with the Republican constituency that Pence needs to win in order to be competitive in the primary.

“If I had been the first nominee on the ballot, the style of presidency I would have pursued was not exactly accurate,” Pence said of his unlikely partnership with Trump. “But it was his presidency and I was there to support him and help him. there was.”

Pence said he hadn’t fully seen Trump’s announcement speech on Tuesday, but argued voters were looking for a new, less controversial direction.

“As you know, the president has every right to run for election again,” he said. But after traveling the country with midterm candidates, he said, “The American people are able to unite our nation on the highest of ideals, reflecting the respect and courtesy that Americans show each other year after year.” I feel that we are looking for new leadership today, and are still advancing the policies we advanced during that year of service,” he said.

Trump’s campaign start comes at a time when he is grappling with the consequences of an election in which the Republicans are unable to seize control of the Senate and win only a small majority in the House. This was despite deep concerns about the direction of the country under the Biden administration.

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Trump endorsed a long list of candidates who lost the general election, including Pennsylvania and Arizona. Pence said he was happy the Republicans won the House, but admitted the election “wasn’t the red wave we all wanted.”

“My conclusion is that he is a candidate who has focused on the future, focused on the challenges facing Americans today, and done very well with the solutions to those challenges.” As requested, those still questioning the 2020 results “didn’t work out.”

In his new book, Pence details his experience on Jan. 6, explained that Wednesday.

“I will never forget the seething indignation I felt seeing those sights on my cell phone that day as we gathered at the loading dock under the Senate Chamber. I didn’t,” he said.

In an interview, he recalled his reaction to Trump’s tweet.

“The president’s words were reckless and endangered my family and everyone in the Capitol. “The president decided to be part of the problem. I decided to be part of the solution.” .”

But when asked what consequences Trump should face for his actions, Pence punted.

“It’s up to the American people,” he said, believing. “I really do. worked closely to advance the policies we were chosen to serve.”

“It didn’t end well,” he admitted with an understatement. “And that tragic day in January will always be a day of great sorrow for me. What happened to our relationship, for the bad advice the president was taking from a group of lawyers?” , as I write in my book, should never have been allowed on the grounds of the White House, let alone the Oval Office.”

Pence and Trump have always been an odd couple — a martial artist and crude New York celebrity, a staunch Midwestern evangelist who once wrote an essay on the evils of negative campaigning and, in principle, his wife not. Asked why he rarely spoke out when Trump launched deeply personal insults against figures like the late Senator John McCain, Pence said, in effect, it was because he signed up. Said it was done.

“As his vice president, I believed it was my role to be loyal to the president.” believes that I have been elected Vice President.”

In fact, Pence writes in the book that even after January 6th, “the two men parted amicably when their national service came to an end.”

“He called me occasionally over the next few weeks to listen and check in,” Pence said in an interview. “But when he went back to criticizing me and the others who supported the Constitution that day, I decided it was best to go the other way.

Asked why he was “amicably” breaking up with Trump in light of the president’s actions, including his decision not to call Pence to check on his safety while the riots were underway. Pence said he believed the president had genuine regrets when they first met.Times after the 6th.

“For the rest of about 90 minutes we sat and talked. I was very direct with the president. I made it clear to him that I believed I had done my duty that day. “The president and I have developed not only a good working relationship, but a friendship over the course of four and a half years. We literally worked together every day.” But he was different this time.I encouraged him to bring this matter up in prayer.”

As for his plans for the future, everyone asks if he plans to run for office, so he and his family get together over the holidays.