Pence halts presidential campaign

Former Vice President Mike Pence announced the suspension of his presidential campaign on Saturday. This decision, influenced by dwindling poll numbers and financial difficulties, was revealed during his speech at the Republican Jewish Coalition's yearly conference in Las Vegas. Pence expressed his commitment to assisting in the election of "principled Republican leaders" in the future.

The Pences campaign had a significant concern about not meeting the qualifications for the upcoming third debate stage next month, as revealed by a source to CNN. This concern played a crucial role in Pences decision-making, according to a Republican adviser closely associated with his campaign. Despite several days of fundraising this week, the issue remained unresolved due to a lack of sufficient donors, as stated by the Republican adviser.

"Although I am departing from this campaign, rest assured that I will continue to steadfastly advocate for conservative values and actively support the election of principled Republican leaders across the nation. May God be my witness," stated Pence on Saturday.

According to numerous sources, the decision to suspend was kept confidential by advisors. Many event organizers were uninformed about the on-stage announcement.

Pence's theory behind his candidacy was straightforward: he distanced himself from his previous association with Donald Trump after the attack on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021. Instead, he refocused on the fundamental conservative principles that were the foundation of the modern Republican Party under Ronald Reagan, whom he viewed as his political inspiration.

Throughout his campaign, Pence consistently emphasized this concept, using campaign signs that intentionally evoked Reagan's 1984 campaign and delivering speeches urging his party to move away from populism.

His withdrawal from the 2024 race further reflects how the modern-day GOP has strayed from the conservatism he once championed, now altered by Trump's influence. Despite his ongoing legal issues, Trump remains the prominent contender in the 2024 GOP presidential race.

Pence, formerly the governor of Indiana and a US congressman, officially declared his candidacy in early June. Interestingly, he opted to kick-start his campaign in Iowa instead of his home state, underscoring the significance he attributed to this early-voting state.

Promising to travel to every one of Iowa's 99 counties, Pence made it a point to prioritize personal interactions in smaller, more intimate settings. Being an evangelical Christian and a native of the Midwest, he relied on his faith and sought support from fellow conservative evangelicals, a highly influential voting group in the state.

In a field crowded with candidates, Pence found himself in an unusual position. Having previously served as vice president under Trump, he now found himself competing against the same man for the GOP nomination in this election cycle.

Pence frequently expressed his pride in the achievements of the Trump-Pence administrations. However, he emphasized that Trump was not campaigning in this election based on the same conservative principles that they had governed on together. Pence highlighted the differences between himself and his former running mate on issues such as Social Security, abortion restrictions, and foreign policy - particularly regarding US support for Ukraine in its conflict with Russia. In an early September speech, Pence cautioned against what he referred to as the "alluring appeal of populism" from Trump and those who seek to emulate him.

However, the focal point was the notorious day of January 6, 2021, when Vice President Pence made a significant decision by refusing to challenge the electoral votes during the Congress certification of the 2020 election. Although Pence's role as vice president was mainly ceremonial in supervising the process, Trump and his followers still believed that Pence had the power to intercede.

"What the American people need to understand is that President Trump's claim that I had no authority to overturn the election was false. I was not allowed to invalidate or reject votes. By the grace of God, I fulfilled my responsibilities as outlined in the United States Constitution," Pence stated in an August interview with CNN, echoing similar sentiments expressed during his campaign appearances.

During his presidential campaign, Pence received gratitude for his contributions to the administration, his unwavering commitment to his Christian faith, and his actions on January 6th. However, this admiration did not translate into significant support in the polls for the former vice president.

Pence took part in the initial two GOP primary presidential debates, effortlessly meeting the polling requirements to qualify for the debate stages. However, he encountered difficulties in meeting the individual donor threshold established by the Republican National Committee.

Further indications of a struggling campaign surfaced in October when Pence opted to file for the state-run Nevada presidential primary rather than the party-held caucuses, which required a filing fee of $55,000.

As a result of his move, he became ineligible to receive delegates from Nevada for the upcoming GOP convention. Moreover, his campaign disclosed a debt of $620,000 in the third quarter of fundraising, raising doubts about the sustainability of his candidacy.

Although he criticized his Republican competitors, Pence had committed to supporting the eventual GOP nominee. Additionally, he dismissed the possibility of running as a vice presidential nominee again, stating that he had already done so twice.

This story has been updated with additional information.