Former Vice President Mike Pence will enter the 2024 presidential race June 7 with a kickoff event in Iowa, The Post has learned.
Pence, 63, will mark his entrance to the GOP primary with a speech in Des Moines, a source familiar with the vice president’s plans said. He is also scheduled to take part in a CNN town hall the same day.
“We view this race as absolutely wide open, and Iowa is really going to solidify itself as the pivotal player,” a source close to the situation told NBC News.
“It’s a place that values Mike Pence’s principles — traditional conservative principles — deep-rooted faith and uncommon character.”
A super PAC supporting Pence, Committed to America, launched earlier this month.
Pence’s entrance will pit him against his former running mate, Donald Trump, as well as an increasingly crowded field of Republican candidates.
Pence broke with Trump, 76, over his claims the 2020 election was decided by fraud.
The VP refused to decertify the Electoral College results in key states on Jan. 6, 2021, even after Trump heavily pressured him and insisted he had the authority to do so.
Later that day, Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol in an attempt to stop the certification, and some were heard chanting “Hang Mike Pence.”
Last month, Pence appeared before a federal grand jury to testify for seven hours about the events of Jan. 6, 2021.
Pence has said the former president used “reckless words” that endangered himself and his family, as well as that he “had no right to overturn the election” at Trump’s behest.
However, Pence has stuck by Trump after criminal charges were filed against the former president by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, referring to the case as a “political prosecution.”
Pence served as governor of Indiana from 2013 to 2017, and in the US House of Representatives from 2001 to 2013, where he was among the most conservative members of the Republican caucus.
According to an Emerson College poll last week, 62% of Iowa Republican caucus-goers currently support Trump, while just 5% support Pence,
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who entered the Republican primary race last week, enjoys 20% support and former South Carolina Gov. and Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley is tied with Pence at 5%.
Trump, Pence, DeSantis and Haley have all made trips to the Hawkeye State in recent weeks to court voters, and the former vice president is apparently planning to carry his campaign to all 99 Iowa counties.
Other declared Republican candidates include Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson and radio host Larry Elder.
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie will reportedly enter the race on June 6 at an event in New Hampshire, while the governor of the Granite State, Chris Sununu, has also weighed a run for the GOP nomination.