Former US Vice President Mike Pence ended his presidential campaign yesterday after convictions about a better alternative to Donald Trump failed.
Pence is the first serious candidate to drop out of the presidential race. Here’s what he said about his withdrawal:
Travelling over the country over the past six months, I came here to say it’s become clear to me: This is not my time. So after much prayer and deliberation, I have decided to suspend my campaign for president effective today, Pence told the audience to gasps and, later, prolonged claps and cheers of support.
Donald Trump is now the clear favourite not only among Republicans, but also among the general public. Pence, among other things, did not say whether he would support anyone, but there was a subtle hint:
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, Pence said, adding it should also be someone who is able to lead the country with “civility.”
Because of this case, new Republican presidential candidates may emerge, but Trump’s advantage is so large that it may not matter, and the contenders may also decide to stick around for the long haul. Not everyone will be able to handle a figure like Donald Trump.
Pence, for instance, has publicly severed ties with Trump, condemning the former president for his role in the riot at the US Capitol on 6 January 2021. He was hoping for one thing, i.e. Trump’s withdrawal, but the opposite happened: Trump achieved one of the largest margins in the primaries in the history of the US election, according to opinion polls.
Thus, Pence found himself out of money by October. This was mainly due to his failure to win the first Republican nomination state of Iowa, despite the time and resources he had put into it.
