ANKENY, Iowa – Former Vice President Mike Pence announced he is running for president of the United States in a speech at Des Moines Area Community College in Ankeny on Wednesday afternoon.
“Indiana will always be home for us, and I get why people make big announcements back home, in their hometown, at their resort, even on Twitter, but we wanted to be here, in person, in Iowa. We are here because we know Iowa was the right place to start our engines for the great American comeback,” Pence said explaining why he was making his announcement in Iowa rather than his hometown.
“This country has been so good to my family and I have been honored to serve it, we both have. It would be easy to stay on the sidelines, that’s not how I was raised. I’ve long believed to whom much is given, much will be required, and that is why today before God and my family I am announcing that I am running for president of the United States of America,” he said.
Pence, 64, served 12 years in the U.S. House of Representatives representing Indiana before being elected governor of the Hoosier state in 2012. He served as vice president under President Donald Trump for one term losing re-election in 2020 to President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
He outlined crises he said the country faced, but expressed optimism but sad a change in leadership was needed.
“I know we can bring this country back. We can defend our nation and secure our border. We can revive our economy, and put our nation back on a path to a balanced federal budget. We can defend our liberties and give America a new beginning for life. But it will require new leadership in the White House and the Republican Party,” Pence stated.
He added that the crises the nation faces are all man-made caused by Biden.
“The first step to turning America around is ending this disastrous presidency. So here in Iowa we must resolve that Joe Biden will never be reelected as president of the United States,” Pence stated. “We must elect a new Republican president and chart a course for our nation guided by our timeless principles. The Bible says that without a vision, the people perish, and what is true of a people is also true of nations. Ours will be a vision that is grounded in freedom.”
Pence defended the four years he governed with former President Donald Trump against critics of their record.
“I am incredibly proud of everything we accomplished for the American people. Together in three short years we cut taxes, we destroyed ISIS, we stood with our allies and stoop up to our enemies as never before. We took the strongest military in the history of the world, stronger than ever before. We gave historic prosperity here at home to all people regardless of race or creed or color. We achieved energy independence. And maybe, maybe most important of all, it was our administration that appointed three of the justices that sent Roe v. Wade to the ash heap of history where it belongs. We gave America a new beginning for life,” he argued.
Pence spoke at length about why he was running against his former running mate.
“January 6 was a tragic day in the life of our nation, but thanks to the courage of law enforcement, violence was quelled and we reconvened Congress the very same day to complete the work of the American people under the Constitution of the United States. As I said many times on that fateful day, President Trump’s words were reckless. They endangered my family and everyone in the Capitol,” he said.
Pence also criticized Trump’s demand of him in his role as president of the Senate as the electoral college vote was certified.
“But the American people deserve to know that on that day President Trump demanded that I choose between him and the Constitution. Now voters will be faced with the same choice. I chose the Constitution and I always will,” he said.
Pence explained that Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution did not give him as president of the Senate the authority to overturn or return electoral college votes.
“Despite the fact that the Constitution’s language is clear, and provides the vice president with no authority to reject or return electoral votes, my former running mate continues to insist that I had the right to overturn the election. President Trump was wrong then and he is wrong now. I will always believe by God’s grace I did my duty that day. I kept my oath to ensure the peaceful transfer of power under the Constitution of the United States of America,” he said.
Pence empathized with those disappointed by the 2020 election outcome.
“Let me say from my heart, I understand the disappointment that many still feel about the outcome of the 2020 election. I can relate, I was on the ballot, but I had no right to overturn the election. And Kamala Harris will have no right to overturn the election when we beat them in 2024,” he added.
Pence challenged his party.
“The Republican Party must be the party of the Constitution of the United States. We have had enough of the Democrats and the radical left trampling on our Constitution, threatening to pack the court, to dismantle the God-given rights that are enshrined there, we must stand on the Constitution to protect the God-given right to life. We must stand on the Constitution to protect the right to keep and bear arms. We must stand on the Constitution to protect the right to life, to work, to worship according to the dictates of our faith and conscience. The American people must know that leaders in the Republican Party will keep their oath to defend and support the Constitution even when it not in our political interest to do so,” he said. “I believe that anyone who puts themselves over the Constitution should never be President of the United States. And anyone who asks someone else to put them over the Constitution should never be president of the United States again.”
