Moving closer to a 2024 run, Pence rips Biden policies

May 16—CONCORD — Former Vice President Mike Pence launched a frontal assault on the Biden administration's domestic policies Tuesday night as he appeared to edge closer to a 2024 Republican run for president.

"The confidence and pride that long ago was synonymous with the American spirit has given way to theater and national angst," Pence said in remarks at the Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy's Libertas Award Dinner at the Grappone Conference Center.

Pence said Biden has saddled the country with high inflation, sluggish economic growth, a porous southern border, higher taxes and interest rates and green energy policies that have left the U.S. more dependent on foreign oil.

"Our country is almost unrecognizable compared to what it was a few years ago," Pence said.

"Can we get it back?" Pence asked rhetorically. "We're going to get it back and then some ... All we need is leadership."

Pence later told reporters "I have nothing to announce today" but that if he ran, he would look forward to debating former President Trump.

"I have debated Donald Trump many times just not with the cameras on," Pence said, alluding to private disagreements he had on policy.

Pence said he would support a federal ban on abortion after 15 weeks and praised states such as Florida, Ohio and Georgia that adopted laws making elective abortions illegal after roughly six weeks when there was a fetal heartbeat.

"From my point of view, I disagree with President Trump," referring to Trump who said the Florida anti-abortion law could be "too harsh."

Pence said 70% of the American people support the kind of abortion restrictions that he has embraced over his entire career in public life.

Pence's return to the state came a day after a new super PAC backing his 2024 presidential candidacy launched with former U.S. Rep. Jeb Hensarling of Texas and GOP consultant Scott Reed serving as national co-chairs.

The executive director of Pence's PAC is Bobby Saparow who managed George Gov. Brian Kemp's convincing reelection victory in 2022 against Democrat Stacey Abrams.

Pence also has plans to return to Iowa, which is scheduled to hold the first caucus in the 2024 GOP nominating process.

As a former Indiana governor and congressman, Pence would have potential to do well in a neighboring state where social conservatives have often played a big role in determining the outcome, supporters say.

Pence also agreed to appear on WMUR-TV's "Conversation with the Candidates" series that was taped earlier Tuesday afternoon.

Some potential candidates, including Gov. Chris Sununu, have turned down an invitation until and unless they enter the race.

Pence will also make appearances in Dover and Rochester on Wednesday.

According to early polls, Pence, 63, has some catching up to do if he hopes to eventually overtake his former boss, former President Donald Trump, or Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is expected soon to make his own bid official.

Among all voters nationally, Pence is in a distant third place with 5.8% backing compared with 55% for Trump and 20.3% for DeSantis.

Pence trails potential rivals in U.S., N.H.

In New Hampshire, the picture is even more challenging with Pence in seventh place with 2.7%, trailing the likes of former Wyoming Congresswoman and Trump critic Liz Cheney and author/businessman Vivek Ramaswamy (both 3% each) along with ex-U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley (4.3%), New Hampshire Gov. Sununu (11%), DeSantis (22.7%) and Trump (47.3%).

Republican State Chairman Chris Ager of Amherst said Pence's political calling card is his strength of character.

"The constant refrain about Mike Pence is decent, honest, principled guy, and frankly those are qualities that are in pretty high demand in this country right now," Ager said.

Rep. Tim McGough, R-Merrimack, said he saw Pence speak at a legislative conference in Washington several months ago.

"I believe Mike Pence speaks to the core socially and fiscally conservative base of the Republican Party so there's no question he can make a case if he decides to do it," McGough said.

"Is he a candidate who could win a general election? I think he'd have a better chance than Trump."

Andrew Georgevits, chairman of the Concord GOP Committee, said he has to remain neutral, but admitted that it's entertaining to watch the growing parade of candidates.

"I keep telling everybody, 'C'mon in, the water is fine but it is pretty crazy.' This field is big and getting only bigger in the coming weeks it looks like," Georgevits said.

"The question anyone would ask is, if we call get in, will Trump win it like he did in 2016? I'm not at all anti-Trump but many of them have to look at one another and ask are we going to repeat history here?"

Former U.S. Sen. John E. Sununu, said it's impossible to know what the future of this 2024 campaign will hold.

"I used to think I was pretty good in the prediction business and then 2016 hit," quipped Sununu, the older brother of Gov. Chris Sununu who is considering his own White House bid.

In 2016 while his younger brother was neutral and went on to win his first term as governor, John E. Sununu backed former Ohio Gov. John Kasich who finished a distant second to Trump in New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation primary.

klandrigan@unionleader.com