Former Vice President Mike Pence defeated his old boss and potential 2024 major enemy, Donald Trump, last week.
Immediately after the plane playing cards were flying I was forced to land last weekend For engine failure Pence flew to Israel At the private jet of Miriam Adelson, Republican’s most valuable donor.And while Trump was there Avoid criticizing Russian President Vladimir Putin In a call-in interview with Fox News host Sean Hanity, Pence and his wife Karen flew to the Ukrainian-Polish border to distribute relief supplies to refugees.
Perhaps the most obvious sign that political dynamics between the two men have changed, Pence implicitly attacked Trump in a Republican National Committee speech last Friday, telling the GOP “Putin.” “Apologize for” said it should not be included.
“Welcome to the Pence Boomlet front end,” said Republican veteran pollster Michael Cohen, who has nothing to do with former Trump lawyer. “Who has had a better week or the last few weeks than Pence? That is, it’s not even close.”
When Putin began his invasion of Ukraine, he not only re-strengthened the old Western alliance formed after World War II, but at least temporarily shook the dynamics of Republican power.
Trump, the center of long-standing power on the right, has struggled to get attention six years after he has dominated the national stage almost unilaterally. And Pence, who is stiff, boring, and best known for paying homage to the former president, has set foot in the center of the vacuum caused by the absence of Trump.
Pence won the Fox News prime slot and made the news in an interview with one of Trump’s favorite hosts, Maria Bertilomo. Bertilomo has repeatedly put pressure on Pence about his plans for 2024 and whether he will face Trump if the former president participates in the race. However, Pence played a shy and wiped out the question.
“I am confident that the Republican Party will nominate a candidate to become the next President of the United States. At the right time, my family and I will consider and consider how we can participate in the process.” Pence said..
Pence’s attention came at a stretch for over a year, laying the groundwork behind the scenes, traveling to early voting countries such as New Hampshire and Iowa in a campaign format, and courting Republican donors who successfully bid for the White House. Later.
Trump continues to be the leader of the early polls of the party nomination in 2024, but despite his popularity at the Republican grassroots, many GOP lawmakers are considering their own implementation. Through the Broadside of the Cultural War of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton’s complaint Integrate the Republican pre-Trump and post-Trump wings.
Pence’s supporters see him as a very good person to unite conflicting factions within the Republican Party, even though his masses have dropped out with Trump. Originally an evangelical Christian elected to Parliament in 2000, he has steadily joined the Caucus of the House Republicans. In 2012, Indiana voters elected him governor. He became Trump’s running mate and left him to support the conservative goodwill of his former television host.
Pence has been slowly and steadily campaigning since the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021, threatening to hang Pence for not helping the then president overturn the 2020 election results. I’m following the trajectory. Announce his intentions for 2024. A Pence spokesman did not respond to a request for comment from Yahoo News.
But the real collapse of the dam seemed to have happened shortly after Putin began his invasion of Ukraine. Trump and his supporters, who advertised Putin’s “genius” just a few days ago, suddenly looked outdated and probably had no contact with the Republicans.
“The GOP’s McCain division is back and stronger than ever, telling the truth about Mr. KGB,” said Scott Reed, a longtime Republican strategist who campaigned for Bob Dole in 1996. ..
But Republican operatives, like the candidates they advise, will still clarify whether the shift from Trump-style populism is permanent, or just a fluke, at least on foreign policy issues. It is said that.
“It’s too early to talk, but I don’t think Americans want the U.S. military over there, and I think many don’t even want to send money there,” said Corey Lewandowski, a former Trump campaign manager. Told. “This can be a problem in the medium term.”
Pence, meanwhile, is doing what he normally does, steadily moving forward, waiting for the moment in the spotlight.