Former Vice President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/mike-pence" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mike Pence&#8217;s</a> organization, Advancing American Freedom, is urging senators to vote against confirming Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over his stance on abortion.
In a letter first obtained by The Daily Wire, Advancing American Freedom lays out five detailed questions for Donald Trump&#8217;s nominee to serve as the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). It points out that Kennedy <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/rfk-wins-praise-from-pro-life-senators-on-capitol-hill">formerly said</a> that a woman should have the right to abort her unborn baby, and the government shouldn&#8217;t be involved, &#8220;even if [the baby] is full term.&#8221; Such a position is &#8220;completely out of step with the strong, pro-life record of the first Trump Administration,&#8221; wrote AAF President Tim Chapman and Chairman of the Board Marc Short.
&#8220;While RFK Jr. has made certain overtures to pro-life leaders that he would be mindful of their concerns at HHS, there is little reason for confidence at this time,&#8221; they continued. &#8220;There are hundreds of decisions made every day at HHS that either lead our nation toward a respect for life or away from it—decisions about federal funding for Planned Parenthood, regulations on the abortion pill (currently accounting for three out of every five abortions), insurance coverage of abortion, and more.&#8221;
A number of pro-life leaders and lawmakers who spoke with The Daily Wire before Christmas had also expressed concerns about Kennedy&#8217;s record on abortion, but Kennedy allayed many of their fears when he spoke with Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri on December 17.  Hawley shared that Kennedy promised to reinstate Trump’s pro-life policies at HHS, including reinstating the Mexico City Policy, which blocks federal funds from going to NGOs that promote abortion; ending taxpayer funding for abortions domestically; and reinstating the bar on Title X funds going to organizations that promote abortion.
Kennedy also reportedly promised Hawley that “all of his deputies at HHS would be pro-life” and that he would “reinstate conscience protections for healthcare providers”— two major points of concern for pro-lifers who spoke with The Daily Wire.
“He told me he believes there are far too many abortions in the U.S. and that we cannot be the moral leader of the free world with abortion rates so high,” Hawley said.
AAF still has concerns, however.
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&#8220;Whatever the merits of RFK Jr’s Make America Healthy Again initiative—indeed, whatever other qualities a nominee might possess—an HHS Secretary must have a firm commitment to protect unborn children, or else bend under the pressure and pushback surrounding these daily, critical decisions,&#8221; their letter continued. &#8220;We strongly encourage you to reject the nomination of any pro-abortion nominees to serve at HHS. RFK Jr., as well as any other nominated HHS Secretary, must be able to provide satisfactory answers to the list of important pro-life questions attached to this letter. The pro-life movement has a strong bench of courageous pro-life leaders who are willing to serve the American people as the head of HHS.&#8221;
<div id="attachment_858349" style="width: 808px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-mike-pence-org-urges-senators-to-oppose-rfk-jr-confirmation/us-politics-carter" rel="attachment wp-att-858349"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-858349" class="wp-image-858349 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/01/GettyImages-2192480048-798x576.jpg" alt="Former US Vice President Mike Pence (L) shakes hands with President-elect Donald Trump before a State Funeral Service for former US President Jimmy Carter at the Washington National Cathedral in Washington, DC, on January 9, 2025. (Photo by Mandel NGAN / POOL / AFP) (Photo by MANDEL NGAN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)" width="798" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/01/GettyImages-2192480048-798x576.jpg 798w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/01/GettyImages-2192480048-300x216.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/01/GettyImages-2192480048-768x554.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/01/GettyImages-2192480048-1536x1108.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/01/GettyImages-2192480048-2048x1478.jpg 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 798px) 100vw, 798px" /></a>Former US Vice President Mike Pence (L) shakes hands with President-elect Donald Trump before a State Funeral Service for former US President Jimmy Carter at the Washington National Cathedral in Washington, DC, on January 9, 2025. (Photo by Mandel NGAN / POOL / AFP) (Photo by MANDEL NGAN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)</div>
Pence&#8217;s organization wants Kennedy to answer a number of questions clarifying his views on abortion. The first of these is: &#8220;When do you believe that life should be protected?&#8221; AAF would also like Kennedy to state at what gestational age or level of development he thinks unborn children should be protected by the federal government, and whether there are any extenuating circumstances in which he believes that unborn children should not be protected.
AAF also wants Kennedy to address his stances on abortion pills, responsible for dozens of deaths of mothers across the United States, asking Kennedy to commit to reinstating the safeguards on abortion drugs put in place by former President Bill Clinton.
The letter also requests that he commit to &#8220;taking every step possible&#8221; to stop taxpayer funding of abortions via Title X, Medicaid reimbursements, and other grants and contracts, as well as protecting the conscience rights of Americans under the Conscience and Religious Freedom Division within HHS&#8217; Office for Civil Rights— two promises Kennedy appears to have already made to Hawley.
AAF also pushes for Kennedy to commit to requiring states to collect and report abortion data, given that many states don&#8217;t report abortion data, allowing for late-term abortions or even born alive abortions to go undetected.
In June 2024, after a variety of statements on the unborn, Kennedy shared that he saw “emerging consensus” on abortion, arguing “that abortion should be legal up until a certain number of weeks, and restricted thereafter,” and pointing out that most Americans agree that there should be restrictions on abortions at some point. He also said that “every abortion is a tragedy,” and highlighted his &#8216;<a href="https://www.mahanow.org/abortion">More Choices, More Life</a>&#8216; policy.
And in meetings with senators before Christmas, he repeatedly said that he would abide by Trump&#8217;s pro-life policies.
“I said, ‘Where’s your position? I just gotta know, because you’ve been all over the map on it,'&#8221; Senator Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma shared with The Daily Wire in December as he discussed his meeting with Kennedy.
Kennedy responded, according to Mullin, “I think there’s too many abortions in the world, let’s just start there. It’s not that I don’t value life, I value life, I just look at it a little bit different in certain circumstances, what we’ve been through as a family.”
“Where does that put you when it comes to pro-life?” Mullin questioned Kennedy, adding of the Trump nominee: “He goes: ‘I’m serving at the will of the President of the United States, and it’s his policies that I will put forth. And so we may not agree on every single issue, but we agree 100%, we shouldn’t even be having abortions in this world anyways. But my policies are not what I’m pushing forward, it’s the president’s, and I think the country knows where the president is on that, and so therefore, that’s my position.”
“I’m good with that,” Mullin told The Daily Wire. “If he’s willing to say that, I have no problems with him becoming Secretary of HHS. And I will support him completely, even as passionate and as pro-life as my wife and my family and I are, I believe Bobby is still the right person for this position.”
Trump previously headed the most pro-life administration in United States history, and is the president responsible for overturning Roe v. Wade. Though he largely avoided discussing abortion throughout the 2024 campaign season, articulating clearly that he viewed the topic as politically toxic, advocates are hopeful that Trump will continue to promote pro-life policy throughout his next administration.
While some on the Right continue to be fearful of Kennedy as head of HHS, a position that could have a massive influence on the protection of the unborn in the United States (or lack thereof), conservatives like Brian Burch, the head of Catholic Vote and Trump&#8217;s new choice for Ambassador to the Holy See, believe Kennedy is slowly finding his way on abortion. Burch told The Daily Wire in December that Kennedy is working through the question of abortion, &#8220;and how to reconcile that with his other beliefs around the ways in which the human person has been commoditized by Big Pharma, Big Government, and Big Tech.”
“He’s publicly now said that he opposes late term abortion, he recognizes there is not a public consensus around how and where to regulate abortion, and he would like to work in innovative ways to reduce the number of abortions and helping women to choose life,” Burch said at the time. “He’s said that publicly, he’s said that to me personally &#8230; I’m confident that pro-life advocates can help him to understand that this indeed is something that does rise to the level of requiring the state to protect life and women.”

Former Vice President Mike Pence Speaks At The Coolidge And American Project Conference

EXCLUSIVE: Mike Pence Org Urges Senators To Oppose RFK Jr. Confirmation

Executive

Mike Pence

Politics

Republicans

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Former Vice President Mike Pence&#8217;s group Advancing American Freedom (AAF), along with multiple religious leaders and pro-life advocates, said they are disappointed with what they describe as watered-down language on abortion in the 2024 Republican platform. AAF, religious leaders, and pro-life advocates sent a letter to party delegates on Friday, asking them to &#8220;restore the Republican Party&#8217;s strong pro-life platform.&#8221;
The <a href="https://advancingamericanfreedom.com/aaf-rnc-pro-life-letter/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">letter</a>, first <a href="https://dailycaller.com/2024/07/12/rnc-pro-life-abortion-platform/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> on by The Daily Caller, was written in response to the draft of the RNC&#8217;s 2024 platform, which was released on Monday. The new GOP platform focuses on securing the border, deporting illegal immigrants, and ending inflation, among a list of other priorities, but makes a noticeable change in its language compared to the last version regarding abortion, an issue that Democrats have successfully campaigned on since the overturning of Roe v. Wade in June of 2022.
&#8220;We proudly stand for families and Life. We believe that the 14th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States guarantees that no person can be denied Life or Liberty without Due Process, and that the States are, therefore, free to pass Laws protecting those Rights,&#8221; the <a href="https://cdn.nucleusfiles.com/be/beb1a388-1d88-4389-a67d-c1e2d7f8bedf/2024-gop-platform-july-7-final.pdf?utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=ncl_amplify&amp;utm_campaign=240708-2024_gop_platform_make_america_great_again&amp;utm_content=ncl-4NsN8UE5x2&amp;_nlid=4NsN8UE5x2&amp;_nhids=8lYVCzzXrd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">draft</a> of the new platform states. &#8220;After 51 years, because of us, that power has been given to the States and to a vote of the People. We will oppose Late Term Abortion, while supporting mothers and policies that advance Prenatal Care, access to Birth Control, and IVF (fertility treatments).&#8221;
The 2016 RNC <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170204071904/https://prod-cdn-static.gop.com/media/documents/DRAFT_12_FINAL[1]-ben_1468872234.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">platform</a> called for specific federal policy positions on abortion, such as &#8220;not fund[ing] or subsidize[ing] healthcare that includes abortion coverage&#8221; and calling on Congress to pass pro-life legislation. The GOP kept the same platform for the 2020 election.
In response to the new RNC platform, AAF, which was founded by Pence in 2021, wrote, &#8220;For the first time in decades, the Republican Platform retreats on life. Pro-life Americans are rightly outraged and gravely concerned. As drafted, the platform removes long-standing Republican promises on life, from prohibiting taxpayer funding for abortion to a Constitutional amendment to specific protections for unborn babies.&#8221;
&#8220;Since the Reagan Revolution, the party has spoken with an unambiguous voice – Republicans stand for life. Today, that promise has been watered down and ultimately compromised,&#8221; AAF&#8217;s letter continues. &#8220;As you gather in Milwaukee for the Republican National Convention, the eyes of conservatives across America are upon you. As delegates, ensuring a strong platform is your responsibility. You are the grassroots conservative leaders, entrusted by the conservatives of your states, to represent their values at the national level. This is the last opportunity to restore the Republican Party’s strong pro-life platform.&#8221;
The letter was signed by March for Life Action President Jeanne Mancini, Live Action President Lila Rose, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary President Albert Mohler, Jr., Southern Baptist Convention President Clint Pressley, and Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission President Brent Leatherwood, among others.
Pence personally blasted the new RNC platform&#8217;s language on abortion, <a href="https://advancingamericanfreedom.com/vice-president-pence-on-rnc-platform-a-profound-disappointment-to-pro-life-republicans/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">calling</a> it &#8220;a profound disappointment to the millions of pro-life Republicans that have always looked to the Republican Party to stand for life.&#8221;
Much of the RNC platform parrots talking points made by former President Donald Trump throughout his 2024 campaign. Trump has spoken multiple times on the issue of abortion and has criticized conservative state laws on abortion, such as Arizona&#8217;s abortion ban and Florida&#8217;s heartbeat law. The former president continues to tout his role in the Supreme Court&#8217;s overturning of Roe v. Wade and said abortion laws should be left up to the states.
Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), a staunch Trump supporter who chaired the RNC platform committee, defended its language on abortion, telling <a href="https://nypost.com/2024/07/12/us-news/gop-platform-chair-says-of-course-republicans-are-a-pro-life-party-reveals-trumps-role/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The New York Post</a> on Friday, “Of course, Republicans are a pro-life party. We are always going to be a pro-life party, and the document affirms that we are a pro-life party.”
“Roe was overturned by the Dobbs decision [in June 2022], which sends it back to the states and the people and as the platform says, the states are there to do restrictions and regulations on those practices,” Blackburn added.
GOP delegates will vote on the RNC platform at the party&#8217;s convention next week in Milwaukee.

Pro-life

Pence Group, Religious Leaders Urge RNC To ‘Restore’ More Pro-Life Party Platform

Pence Group, Religious Leaders Urge RNC To 'Restore' More Pro-Life Party Platform

2024 Election

Abortion

Donald Trump

Pro-Life Movement

Republican National Committee (RNC)

Former Vice President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/mike-pence" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mike Pence</a> said during an interview this week that he will not reveal who he is voting for in the upcoming presidential election — but it won&#8217;t be President Joe Biden.
Pence, who dropped out of the Republican Party presidential primary before any voting happened after failing to gain traction with voters, made the remarks during a Tuesday interview with CNN&#8217;s Jake Tapper on &#8220;The Lead.&#8221;
&#8220;You have said that you&#8217;re not endorsing Donald Trump,&#8221; Tapper said. &#8220;You also have not ruled out voting for him. Why not?&#8221;
&#8220;Well, I&#8217;ll just keep my vote to myself,&#8221; Pence responded. &#8220;You know, I&#8217;d never vote for Joe Biden. But I thought it was fair. Many people had asked me what my posture was going forward. And, you know, based upon the differences the president and I still have over my constitutional duties on January 6th, but also, as you said, based upon how I see the president shying away from our commitment as leader of the free world, being prepared to ignore the national debt, now, even walking away from a commitment to the right to life at the national level, I just made it clear that I will not be endorsing Donald Trump in this campaign.&#8221;
Pence added, &#8220;But I&#8217;ll keep my vote on my own and I&#8217;ll vote according to my conscience in private, just like every American will.&#8221;
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WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Jake asks former VP Mike Pence how he will vote in 2024 
Watch the full video here: <a href="https://t.co/iUgW4uABhn">https://t.co/iUgW4uABhn</a> <a href="https://t.co/CKlH0ghZlb">pic.twitter.com/CKlH0ghZlb</a>
— The Lead CNN (@TheLeadCNN) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheLeadCNN/status/1781092513756918123?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 18, 2024</a></blockquote>

Former VP Mike Pence talks energy independence at Nixon Library

Pence Weighs In On Who He’s Voting For In 2024

Elections

Joe Biden

Former Vice President Mike Pence said this week that Israel should eliminate Hamas&#8217; last stronghold inside Gaza by invading the city of Rafah and terminating the terrorist group&#8217;s remaining fighters.
Pence made the remarks while speaking Monday night at the Hudson Institute’s annual Hertog Forum.
The remarks come as Democrats have called for a cease-fire, and some Republicans have advocated for more isolationist foreign policy positions in recent years.
“Whatever position the current administration or voices in my own party take, here’s the reality: Israel has no choice but to invade Rafah and to hunt down and destroy Hamas once and for all,” Pence said. “The war should end when Israel’s military goals are achieved and every hostage is home and not a moment sooner. And I believe the American people will stand with Israel in that fight.”
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“Instead of demanding arbitrary limitations on Israel’s military response, I believe our president should make it clear that Iran will pay a steep price as well, a steep price if it continues to attempt to escalate the violence through its proxies in Gaza, in Yemen, in Lebanon, and in Syria,” he continued. “I welcome reports today that Israel struck an arms depot run by Hezbollah, on the outskirts of Damascus. And let me be clear, America should fully support Israel’s effort to secure her northern border from Hezbollah.”
WATCH:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Pence: Israel has ‘no choice but to invade Rafah’" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zzLoHgalsms?start=59&#038;feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/major-escalation-alleged-israeli-airstrike-kills-top-iranian-general-in-syria">‘Major Escalation’: Alleged Israeli Airstrike Kills Top Iranian General In Syria</a>

Republican Presidential Candidates Speak At The CUFI Washington Summit

Pence: ‘Israel Has No Choice But To Invade Rafah’

Gaza

Global Politics

Hamas

Israel

Terrorists

World

Former Vice President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/mike-pence" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mike Pence</a> said on Friday that he would not endorse former President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/donald-trump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Donald Trump</a> in the 2024 election.
The comments came less than a week after Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-locks-up-gop-nomination-after-racking-up-4-more-primary-victories" target="_blank" rel="noopener">surpassed the requisite threshold</a> of delegates — 1,215 — to secure the Republican presidential nomination, paving the way to a 2020 rematch against President Joe Biden in the general election.
“It should come as no surprise that I will not be endorsing Donald Trump this year,&#8221; Pence said on Fox News after anchor Martha MacCallum asked Pence if he would be backing Trump.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Mike Pence says he will not endorse Donald Trump for president <a href="https://t.co/GHS6pMdFX2">pic.twitter.com/GHS6pMdFX2</a>
&mdash; Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) <a href="https://twitter.com/CitizenFreePres/status/1768732463214264782?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Pence served as vice president for four years under Trump. They ran together in 2020 seeking a second term but were defeated by Biden.
This election cycle, Pence ran for the White House and in August <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/pence-says-sign-gop-pledge-make-debate-stage-more-than-happy-meet-criteria" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> he would sign the Republican National Committee&#8217;s loyalty pledge vowing to support the GOP&#8217;s eventual presidential nominee. Pence <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mike-pence-suspends-2024-presidential-campaign" target="_blank" rel="noopener">suspended</a> his campaign in October after failing to gain much traction in a wide GOP field.
Pence told Fox News that he is &#8220;incredibly proud&#8221; of the Trump administration&#8217;s &#8220;conservative&#8221; record. However, he explained that a number of issues were creating a break between him and Trump, including Pence&#8217;s refusal to try to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-electoral-certification-of-joe-biden-moves-forward-pence-unable-to-stop-it" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stop the certification</a> of the 2020 election results.
“During my presidential campaign, I made it clear there were profound differences between me and President Trump on a range of issues. And not just our difference on my constitutional duties that I exercised on January the 6th,&#8221; he said.
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He added, “As I have watched his candidacy unfold, I’ve seen him walking away from our commitment to confronting the national debt. I’ve seen him starting to shy away from a commitment to the sanctity of human life. And this last week, his reversal on getting tough on China and supporting our administration’s effort to force a sale of ByteDance’s TikTok application.&#8221;
Pence, whose group <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4480789-pence-group-announces-20-million-effort-to-fight-gop-drift-toward-populism/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Advancing American Freedom</a> unveiled <a href="https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2024/02/21/pence_launches_20m_effort_to_defend_conservative_principles_150533.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a $20 million endeavor</a> last month to defend conservative principles, said that Trump&#8217;s latest campaign is a departure from what they tried to accomplish together.
&#8220;Donald Trump is pursuing and articulating an agenda that is at odds with the conservative agenda that we governed on during our four years. That’s why I cannot in good conscience endorse Donald Trump in this campaign,&#8221; he said.
RELATED: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/desantis-blasts-haley-for-not-endorsing-trump-you-signed-the-pledge">DeSantis Blasts Haley For Not Endorsing Trump: &#8216;You Signed The Pledge&#8217;</a>

Former Vice President Mike Pence

Pence Says He Won’t Endorse Trump In 2024

Pence Says He Won't Endorse Trump In 2024

Former Vice President Mike Pence said during an interview over the weekend that being in Israel to learn about what happened on October 7 opened his eyes to see that it was not simply a terrorist attack but a full-scale &#8220;terrorist invasion.&#8221;
Pence, who was in Tel Aviv, made the remarks during a Sunday interview on CNN&#8217;s &#8220;State of the Union&#8221; with Jake Tapper when asked about his trip to Israel.
&#8220;One of the things I learned as we visited Sderot, where the terrorists literally took over the police station and murdered people in the streets, is that this was not simply a terrorist attack, but I believe it was a terrorist invasion,&#8221; Pence said.
&#8220;I mean, what I learned in our briefings in the south was that that fence line separating Israel from Gaza was breached in more than 90 different places simultaneously, paving the way for some 3,000 terrorists, heavily armed, to move into Israel,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;And, in fact, the briefings I received pointed out that, actually, the terrorists had sufficient armaments and supplies to literally march all the way here to Tel Aviv, all the way to Jerusalem. But, for the heroic efforts of police, IDF forces, and, frankly, courageous citizens, they were stopped from doing that.&#8221;
&#8220;So I really believe that what Israel is doing in Gaza today is absolutely essential,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;It is a response to an invasion that was launched with the intention of beginning the process of destroying the Jewish state of Israel. And I really do believe that this is a moment where America needs to speak with one voice that we will stand with Israel today and tomorrow and every day until they have won outright this fight and eliminated the threat of Hamas.&#8221;
WATCH:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Mike Pence reacts to new polling about GOP views of Jan. 6" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PHTCH1nA-eQ?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Pence In Israel: October 7 Was ‘Not Simply A Terrorist Attack’ But ‘A Terrorist Invasion’

October 7

terrorist

Former President Donald Trump on Saturday called on his former vice president and previous running mate to endorse him. 
Former Vice President Mike Pence had <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mike-pence-suspends-2024-presidential-campaign" target="_blank" rel="noopener">suspended</a> his presidential campaign earlier in the day during a speech at the Republican Jewish Coalition Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. 
“People are leaving now and they’re all endorsing me,” Trump said. “I don’t know about Mike Pence. He should endorse me. He should endorse me. You know why? Because I had a great successful presidency and he was the vice president. He should endorse me. I chose him, made him vice president, but people in politics can be very disloyal.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
President Trump on Mike Pence: “He should endorse me…because I had a great, successful presidency” <a href="https://t.co/fnpH05ZId5">pic.twitter.com/fnpH05ZId5</a>
&mdash; RSBN 🇺🇸 (@RSBNetwork) <a href="https://twitter.com/RSBNetwork/status/1718449587025776812?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 29, 2023</a></blockquote>
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In his speech, Pence told the crowd it was not his time to lead the country but said he would “never leave the fight for conservative values.” He did not make an endorsement but called on Republicans to stay away from the “siren song of populism.”
&#8220;We always knew this would be an uphill battle, but I have no regrets,” Pence <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/mike-pence-suspends-2024-presidential-campaign" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> the crowd. “The only thing that would have been harder than coming up short would have been if we&#8217;d never tried at all.&#8221;
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According to the RealClearPolitics <a href="https://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2024/president/us/2024_republican_presidential_nomination-7548.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">average</a> of polls, Pence’s polling average was 3.5%, well behind Trump’s average of 59.1%. He was polling in fifth place, behind Trump, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, and tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy. 
Trump’s call for Pence’s endorsement came during his second speech in Las Vegas on Saturday – he spoke at the Republican Jewish Coalition gathering shortly after Pence but did not address his former VP&#8217;s campaign suspension during the appearance. DeSantis spoke immediately after Pence and also did not address the former VP’s comments, <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/mike-pence-suspends-2024-presidential-campaign" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to Fox News, though he did issue a statement later.  
Pence served as vice president from 2017 to 2021 under Trump. Leading up to the events of January 6, 2021, their relationship appeared to strain, and both Trump and Pence have since taken shots at each other. 
In Trump&#8217;s speech to the Republican Jewish Coalition, he said that &#8220;everybody that leaves&#8221; the race was endorsing him, referring to conservative talk radio host Larry Elder and Michigan businessman Perry Johnson. Elder <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/larry-elder-suspends-presidential-campaign-endorses-trump-its-time-to-unite" target="_blank" rel="noopener">endorsed</a> Trump after suspending his presidential campaign just days ago, saying that Trump&#8217;s “leadership has been instrumental in advancing conservative, America-first principles.” 
Johnson <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/perry-johnson-endorses-trump-after-suspending-2024-campaign" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dropped</a> out of the race two weeks ago. He endorsed Trump last week, saying he is the only candidate who can “provide a solution to our nation’s economic, foreign policy and social crises, and most importantly, beat Joe Biden at the ballot box.”

Trump Pence

Trump Calls On Pence To Endorse Him After Former VP Suspends Campaign

Endorsement

Former Vice President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/mike-pence" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mike Pence</a> announced on Saturday that he is suspending his 2024 presidential campaign.
He made the announcement at the Republican Jewish Coalition Conference in Las Vegas, which also featured speeches from other major GOP candidates running for the White House.
&#8220;I came here to say it&#8217;s become clear to me this is not my time,&#8221; Pence said. &#8220;So, after much prayer and deliberation, I have decided to suspend my campaign for president effective today.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Pence: I have decided to suspend my campaign for president, effective today <a href="https://t.co/RGncQnqngh">pic.twitter.com/RGncQnqngh</a>
&mdash; Acyn (@Acyn) <a href="https://twitter.com/Acyn/status/1718332255938973995?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 28, 2023</a></blockquote>
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He did not immediately <a href="https://twitter.com/DavidMDrucker/status/1718332639256658353" target="_blank" rel="noopener">endorse</a> any particular candidate upon dropping out, but did urge Republicans <a href="https://twitter.com/nytimes/status/1718336033971146765" target="_blank" rel="noopener">not to follow</a> the &#8220;siren song of populism.&#8221;
Pence, who is also a former U.S. congressman and governor of Indiana, formally announced his campaign for president in June. Under what was called <a href="https://mikepence2024.com/the-pence-plan/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8220;The Pence Plan,&#8221;</a> Pence&#8217;s campaign <a href="https://mikepence2024.com/the-pence-plan/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">prioritized</a> such policies as &#8220;expanding federalism,&#8221; having the United States beat China as the world&#8217;s No. 1 energy producer, ending inflation, and &#8220;putting America&#8217;s families and values first.&#8221;
Pence qualified for the first two Republican debates, but failed to gain traction in a large field of candidates.
Roughly two and a half months until the Iowa caucuses, Pence&#8217;s national primary <a href="https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/polls/president-primary-r/2024/national/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">polling average</a> was around 3.8 percent — placing him behind several other candidates. <a href="https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/polls/president-primary-r/2024/iowa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">In Iowa</a>, Pence sat at 2%. In addition, Pence&#8217;s campaign was struggling to raise funds with around <a href="https://apnews.com/article/pence-2024-election-fundraising-iowa-trump-50caaf71b004b25d866aa0dace68b1ec" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$1.18 million cash on-hand</a> reported by the end of September and more than <a href="https://apnews.com/article/pence-2024-election-fundraising-iowa-trump-50caaf71b004b25d866aa0dace68b1ec" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$600,000 in debt</a>.
Pence, 64, served as vice president for four years under President Donald Trump. They ran together in 2020 seeking a second term but were defeated by President Joe Biden. Though Pence has spoken positively of the Trump administration&#8217;s accomplishments, he has been <a href="https://www.npr.org/2023/03/12/1162923482/pence-trump-january-6-gridiron-dinner" target="_blank" rel="noopener">at odds with Trump</a> over the U.S. Capitol breach on January 6, 2021, and efforts to challenge the results of the 2020 election.
Trump and Pence opted to run competing campaigns in the 2024 cycle. So far, Trump is the clear front-runner, with roughly <a href="https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/polls/president-primary-r/2024/national/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">56.9% in national polls</a> — far above the rest of the GOP candidates.
Pence follows other candidates, including Miami Mayor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/francis-suarez-becomes-first-republican-to-drop-out-of-primary-race" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Francis Suarez</a> and former Rep. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/will-hurd-drops-out-of-republican-primary-endorses-fellow-candidate-for-president" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Will Hurd</a> (R-TX), in suspending their 2024 campaigns. But Pence indicated on Saturday that he&#8217;ll remain involved in politics.
&#8220;Now I am leaving this campaign, but let me promise you: I will never leave the fight for conservative values, and I will never stop fighting to elect principled Republican leaders to every office in the land, so help me God,&#8221; Pence said.

Mike Pence Visits FOX Business’ “Varney & Co”

Mike Pence Suspends 2024 Presidential Campaign

Pence Suspends 2024 Presidential Campaign

U.S.

Former Vice President Mike Pence said during an interview over the weekend that the recent terrorist attacks in Israel were a direct result of weakness from President Joe Biden.
Pence made the remarks during a Sunday interview with Kristen Welker on NBC News&#8217;s &#8220;Meet The Press&#8221; when asked about additional funding that the White House is trying to get passed through Congress to deal with multiple overseas conflicts.
&#8220;If the world knows nothing else, the world needs to know this: America stands with Israel,&#8221; he said. &#8220;What happened two weeks ago was the most brutal assault on the Jewish people since the Holocaust. And we need to stand with Israel as they prepare to do what needs to be done, which is going to require a ground invasion. They&#8217;re going to have to hunt down and destroy Hamas once and for all. And there&#8217;s going to be hardship. There&#8217;s going to be difficulty.&#8221;
The Republican presidential candidate said that &#8220;American clarity and leadership&#8221; was more important now than ever before.
This is &#8220;what happens after a disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan,&#8221; he said. &#8220;It&#8217;s also what happens after two years of appeasement by President Biden with Iran. And I really do believe it&#8217;s also what happens when voices in my own party have been signaling retreat from the war raging in – in Ukraine, and even one candidate for president, Vivek Ramaswamy, recently was sounding the retreat in support for Israel.&#8221;
&#8220;I mean, it was about a month ago Vivek Ramaswamy actually said that we wouldn&#8217;t send American armed forces into harm&#8217;s way if Iran attacked Israel,&#8221; Pence later added. &#8220;Look, there&#8217;s that old Bible verse that says, &#8216;If the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will know to get ready for battle?&#8217; I really believe, in this moment, America has to send a clear call that we will stand with Israel every step of the way as they do what needs to be done. I agree with what one Israeli official said recently. Israel and Hamas cannot coexist. We must support Israel in their effort to crush Hamas and secure their nation.&#8221;
WATCH:
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US-VOTE-ELECTION-POLITICS-REPUBLICANS-PENCE

Mike Pence: Terror Attacks Against Israel Are A Direct Result Of Biden’s Weakness

Vivek Ramaswamy

The second 2024 Republican presidential debate is here. Seven candidates, including a cadre of governors and former governors, are facing off for the second time at a debate moderated by Fox News hosts Stuart Varney and Dana Perino alongside UNIVISION’s Ilia Calderón. The debate is being held at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California. Candidates participating in the debate include Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, former Vice President Mike Pence, former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum. Former President Donald Trump, the current GOP frontrunner, will not participate, choosing to appear in Michigan to give a speech to striking autoworkers. Follow The Daily Wire’s Republican presidential debate live blog here: Refresh for updates.
<hr />
Democrat California Gov. Gavin Newsom attends debate as surrogate for Biden
Governor Gavin Newsom (D-CA) was spotted at the Reagan Presidential Library, entering the spin zone, where he will be a surrogate for President Joe Biden. Newsom declared the president the &#8220;clear&#8221; winner of the debate before it even started.
&#8220;The winner of tonight’s debate is clear, it’s Joe Biden. It’s the Biden presidency and the extraordinary job he’s done over the years,&#8221; Newsom said. &#8220;It’s been a masterclass, the success of the Biden-Harris administration.”
Tim Scott: Biden shouldn&#8217;t be on the picket line but on the southern border 
Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) called out President Joe Biden for joining striking autoworkers in Michigan earlier this week. &#8220;Joe Biden should not be on the picket line; he should be on the southern border working to close our southern border because it is unsafe, wide open, and insecure.&#8221;
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If you don’t control your back door, it&#39;s not your house. And if we don&#39;t control our border, it’s not our country.
Every single American deserves safe streets, drug-free neighborhoods, and secure borders. And when I’m in the White House, they’ll get them. <a href="https://t.co/4c4Iue7X2v">pic.twitter.com/4c4Iue7X2v</a>
&mdash; Tim Scott (@votetimscott) <a href="https://twitter.com/votetimscott/status/1707202918225445298?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Ramaswamy doesn’t have patience for union bosses but does have sympathy for the workers
The tech entrepreneur said that workers should “go picket in front of the White House in Washington, D.C. That’s really where the protest needs to be.” Ramaswamy added that the Biden administration&#8217;s policies have been a disaster and that federal regulations are hampering the economy.
Chris Christie calls out Trump for adding to the national debt
Former Trump ally and Governor of New Jersey Chris Christie criticized the Trump administration for adding trillions of dollars to the national debt during the former president&#8217;s four years in office and called on him to defend his record on the debate stage.
&#8220;We don&#8217;t get any answers because Joe Biden hides in his basement and won&#8217;t answer as to why he&#8217;s raising the debt the way he&#8217;s done, and Donald Trump hides behind the walls of his golf clubs and won&#8217;t show up &#8230; he put $7 trillion on the debt. He should be here in this room to answer those questions.&#8221;
DeSantis calls out Trump for not being at the debate, criticizes the former president for signing large spending bills
“You know who else is missing in action? Donald Trump is missing in action,&#8221; the Florida governor said. &#8220;He should be on this stage tonight. He owes it to you to defend his record where they added $7.8 trillion to the debt that set the stage for the inflation that we have.&#8221; DeSantis said he will veto bloated spending bills.
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Where is Joe Biden? He’s missing in action.
You know who else is missing in action? Donald Trump.
DC politicians are shutting down the American Dream with their reckless spending.
As your President, when they send me a bloated spending bill, I will take out my pen and veto it. <a href="https://t.co/FzhRJZco19">pic.twitter.com/FzhRJZco19</a>
&mdash; Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) <a href="https://twitter.com/RonDeSantis/status/1707205112567902481?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Christie says that America wants more immigrants to come legally
&#8220;If you come here illegally, we will apprehend you and send you back across the border from whence you came.”
DeSantis tries to steer debate back to issues after Scott and Ramaswamy trade barbs
After Sen. Tim Scott called out Vivek Ramaswamy for criticizing his GOP opponents in the last debate and calling them &#8220;bought and paid for,&#8221; Gov. DeSantis tried to get the participants to &#8220;get back to the issues that matter.&#8221;
&#8220;Let&#8217;s focus on holding Joe Biden accountable,&#8221; DeSantis said. &#8220;That&#8217;s who we need to be focusing on.&#8221;
Pence asked about supporting a pathway for illegal immigrants allowed to stay in America under Obama and Biden’s DACA program, which was recently ruled illegal
The former vice president pointed to the Trump administration’s actions to secure the border and said he has negotiated change in Congress before.
DeSantis says that crime is a sign of “decaying” American culture, lays out his plan to go after Soros-backed DAs
The Florida governor pointed to his removal of two woke prosecutors in Florida and said that he will authorize the Department of Justice to bring civil rights cases against George Soros-backed prosecutors who are weak on prosecuting crime.
Pence calls for &#8220;expedited death penalty&#8221; for mass shooters
&#8220;I&#8217;m someone that believes that justice delayed is justice denied, and as a father of three, as a grandfather of three beautiful little girls, I am sick and tired of these mass shootings happening in the United States of America, and if I&#8217;m president of the United States, I will go to the Congress of the United States, and we&#8217;re going to pass a federal expedited death penalty for anyone involved in a mass shooting so they will meet their fate in months, not years.&#8221;
Ramaswamy says that part of dealing with the fentanyl crisis is cracking down on demand in the country
Ramaswamy said that the country needs to turn to faith-based mental health solutions and crack down on addictive social media platforms.
Haley addresses the broken health care system
Nikki Haley said that, as president, she will break down the American healthcare system as it currently stands and will bring competition and transparency to the industry.
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When I am president we will make health care costs transparent. We will put the patient in the driver seat and costs will go down.
&mdash; Nikki Haley (@NikkiHaley) <a href="https://twitter.com/NikkiHaley/status/1707212149687218519?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Burgum blames the federal government for rising medical costs
When asked about how he would address the rising costs of health care, Doug Burgum pinned the blame on the federal government. He said that whenever the government gets involved, it picks winners and losers, which doesn’t work out well.
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Every time the federal government gets involved in something, whether it’s education, energy or health care, things get more expensive and less efficient. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GOPDebate?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GOPDebate</a>
&mdash; Doug Burgum (@DougBurgum) <a href="https://twitter.com/DougBurgum/status/1707213027899011490?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Haley says parents have to get involved with kids&#8217; education, calls for transparency and an end to spending on DEI, CRT
Nikki Haley said parents need to get involved and public schools need to be more transparent with them. &#8220;We&#8217;ve got to make sure we catch our kids up &#8230; we need complete transparency in the classroom &#8230; we need school choice.&#8221;
&#8220;We&#8217;ve got to quit spending time on DEI and CRT,&#8221; Haley added.
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&quot;We&#39;ve got to make sure we catch our kids up &#8230; we need complete transparency in the classroom &#8230; we need school choice.&quot; 
&quot;We&#39;ve got to quit spending time on DEI and CRT.&quot; — Gov. Nikki Haley
&mdash; Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDailyWire/status/1707213933378261253?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Scott takes aim at Democrat welfare programs
Tim Scott said that black Americans survived all of the hardships of slavery, but were devastated by welfare programs in the 1960s. “What was hard to survive was Johnson’s Great Society where they decided to take the black father out of the household to get a check in the mail and you can now measure that in unemployment, crime, and devastation. If you want to restore hope, you need to restore the family,” he said.
Ramaswamy: Transgenderism is a mental health disorder
After being asked about parental notification laws for public schools, Vivek Ramaswamy said, &#8220;Transgenderism, especially in kids, is a mental health disorder,&#8221; adding that &#8220;it is not compassionate to confirm a child&#8217;s delusion.&#8221;
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VIVEK: &quot;Transgenderism, especially in kids, is a mental health disorder!&quot; <a href="https://t.co/GmweqbuyRk">pic.twitter.com/GmweqbuyRk</a>
&mdash; Townhall.com (@townhallcom) <a href="https://twitter.com/townhallcom/status/1707215970366894097?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2023</a></blockquote>
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DeSantis says the U.S. must defend the American people before worrying about Ukraine
When asked if it was in America&#8217;s best interest to fund Ukraine&#8217;s defense, Gov. Ron DeSantis said it is in America&#8217;s interest &#8220;to end&#8221; the war in Ukraine. &#8220;We are not going to have a blank check. We will not have U.S. troops [in Ukraine].&#8221;
&#8220;We have to defend the American people,&#8221; DeSantis added, saying the U.S. needs to focus on the southern border.
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&quot;It is in our interest to end this war,&quot; Gov. DeSantis says we will not send American troops to Ukraine. 
&quot;We have to defend the American people,&quot; DeSantis charges, stating that we need to focus on the southern border.
&mdash; Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDailyWire/status/1707218460147908887?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Tim Scott: Opposing Russia in Ukraine is in America&#8217;s best interest
When asked about continued assistance to Ukraine, which Scott has consistently voted in favor of, the senator said, &#8220;Our national interest is in degrading the Russian military.&#8221;
Haley and Ramaswamy squabble over TikTok
Ramaswamy said that he would ban TikTok for those under 16 before Haley jumped in to attack him over downloading the app himself. Haley said that TikTok was a security liability and would allow China access to American voting. Ramaswamy said that having TikTok was necessary to reach out to the next generation.
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WATCH:
Vivek and Haley Clash Over TikTok/China &#8211; Haley says ‘We can’t trust you.’ <a href="https://t.co/rC3zKs2Fqd">pic.twitter.com/rC3zKs2Fqd</a>
&mdash; Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) <a href="https://twitter.com/DailyCaller/status/1707221767029227577?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Burgum: “We’re in a Cold War with China”
Burgum called out Biden&#8217;s foreign policy approach, saying that Biden invited more kidnappings of Americans with recent negotiations that gave billions to Iran in exchange for imprisoned Americans. He added that Ukraine should not fall to Russia and Taiwan should not fall to China.
Haley goes after DeSantis on energy
Nikki Haley attacked Gov. Ron DeSantis for his record on fracking, accusing DeSantis of issuing executive orders after taking office banning fracking and offshore drilling in the state.
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On his second day in office as governor, Ron issued executive orders BANNING fracking and offshore drilling in Florida—a page straight from Joe Biden’s playbook.
&mdash; Nikki Haley (@NikkiHaley) <a href="https://twitter.com/NikkiHaley/status/1707223212784841122?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2023</a></blockquote>
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DeSantis responded to Haley, saying her claims are &#8220;not true&#8221; and pointed to a Florida constitutional amendment that bans offshore drilling.
&#8220;That&#8217;s just wrong,&#8221; the governor said of Haley&#8217;s attack. &#8220;And let&#8217;s just get real here: my plan will get the job done. We are going to be energy dominant.&#8221;
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.<a href="https://twitter.com/RonDeSantis?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RonDeSantis</a> pledges to champion &quot;American energy dominance: We&#39;re going to choose Midland over Moscow, we&#39;re going to choose the Marcellas over the Mullahs, and we&#39;re going to choose Bakken over Beijing, and we&#39;re going to lower your gas prices.&quot; BAM <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GOPDebate?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GOPDebate</a> <a href="https://t.co/87nzLXZw8y">pic.twitter.com/87nzLXZw8y</a>
&mdash; Tyler O&#39;Neil (@Tyler2ONeil) <a href="https://twitter.com/Tyler2ONeil/status/1707227589142573190?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2023</a></blockquote>
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DeSantis says being pro-life is not a liability for elections
“I reject this idea that pro-lifers are to blame for midterm defeats,” DeSantis said, adding that Trump should be at the debate to explain why he has been critical of pro-life activists. “We’re better off when everyone counts,” he added, saying Republicans should go after Democrats pushing extreme late-term abortion policies.
Candidates asked who they would vote &#8220;off the island&#8221;
Fox News host Dana Perino asked candidates to write down what candidate they would want to “vote off the island” but candidates refused with DeSantis calling the question disrespectful. Other candidates agreed and Perino moved on before Christie explained that he would want Trump “off the island.”
Ramaswamy: &#8220;America First agenda does not belong to one man&#8221;
With the final comment of the debate, Vivek Ramaswamy said he &#8220;respects&#8221; former President Trump&#8217;s &#8220;legacy,&#8221; but added that the America First agenda that Trump governed by &#8220;does not belong to one man.&#8221;
&#8220;It does not belong to Donald Trump. It doesn&#8217;t belong to me. It belongs to you, the people of this country. And the question is who is going to unite this country and take the America First agenda to the next level.&#8221;

2024 Primary Debate

2024 GOP PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE: Live Updates As 7 Republicans Face Off At Reagan Library

2024 Primaries

Chris Christie

Debates

Doug Burgum

Nikki Haley

Ron DeSantis

Tim Scott

More polls on the early primary state of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/new-hampshire">New Hampshire</a> were released over the past week, showing how Republican candidates stack up in the state with an impressive track record of choosing the eventual nominee. 
The New Hampshire primary, along with the Iowa caucuses, act as the launching pad for the presidential election, and Republicans who won the Granite State primary in the last three competitive election cycles (2016, 2012, and 2008) all went on to win the nomination. The state also represents a slightly <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/24/politics/new-hampshire-republican-primary-trump/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">better chance</a> for a Republican candidate to knock off the GOP frontrunner, former President Donald Trump, as Trump consistently polls lower in New Hampshire than he does nationally. 
According to the <a href="https://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2024/president/nh/2024_new_hampshire_republican_presidential_primary-7396.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Real Clear Politics average</a> as of Wednesday, Trump leads the pack in New Hampshire at 44%, 31 points ahead of former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley at 13%. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who is in second place nationally, comes in third place in the state at 10.5%, followed closely by former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie at 9.8%. Tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy (8%), South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott (4.8%), North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum (2.5%), and former Vice President Mike Pence (1.5%) round out the polling of those who came in above 1%. 
The most recent poll, conducted by CBS News from September 15-24, has Trump at 50%, DeSantis in second at 13%, and Haley in third at 11%. The CBS poll was an 11-point difference for Trump compared to a CNN/UNH poll conducted two weeks ago that put the former president at 39%.
The last four polls of New Hampshire showed a significant rise for Haley, the former U.S. ambassador to the UN during the Trump administration. Haley polled as high as 15% in a St. Anselm poll conducted last week, a 10-point rise for the South Carolinian since the previous St. Anselm poll conducted in June. Meanwhile, DeSantis dropped eight points between the two St. Anselm polls as the governor struggles to gain momentum since the launch of his campaign in late May. 
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Seven candidates will gather at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, for Wednesday night&#8217;s second GOP presidential debate. Trump, who did not attend the first GOP debate, will also skip this one, opting to speak to striking autoworkers in Michigan instead. The former president has pointed to his dominance in the polls as a reason he’s not debating his Republican opponents.

Nikki Haley/Donald Trump/Ron DeSantis

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A mother of a transgender child, having had former Vice President Pence tell her that children should not be making decisions about surgical or chemical procedures to change their sex, called Pence’s position “appalling.”
Pence spoke at a NewsNation town hall on Wednesday, where he was confronted by Melissa McCollister, who said she was the mother of a transgender child.
 Pence said he would “protect our kids from that radical gender ideology that’s taken hold in too many public schools,” prompting McCollister to ask, “What is your policy plan to protect the transgender community, specifically black and brown trans women from historically high levels of violence?&#8221;
“Well, Melissa, let me say I’m deeply grieved to hear about those tragic circumstances, and I hear your heart, and I’m moved by your emotion, I truly am,” Pence answered. He continued:
<blockquote>
I’m a Bible-believing Christian. I have particular views of these matters and you have a different view of those, perhaps, but I want you to know I believe in the freedom of religion, I believe in the freedom of conscience, I believe in the right of every American to live, to work, to worship according to the dictates of their conscience and I’ll respect that. But I hope you also hear my heart on this.
For me, what adults do in their lives, decisions that they make, including transgender adults, is one thing, but for kids under the age of 18 — there’s a reason why we don’t let you drive ’til you’re 16. In the state of Indiana, you can’t get a tattoo until after you’re 18, you can’t drink until after you’re 21, that’s because we understand that kids don’t fully understand the consequences of their actions …
When it comes to surgical or chemical procedures, I just — I really believe that we’ve got to protect our kids from decisions that will affect them, the balance of their lives, while at the same time saying adults can make decisions according to the dictates of their own conscience.
</blockquote>
McCollister noted later that she was a social worker, adding, “I have worked with kids as young as 5 years old that have gender-nonconforming and identities that are transgender, and I’ve raised one.”
“And so to hear somebody tell me that it’s not okay for young children to make decisions about their gender identity and to ask their school officials for support, protection, and help is appalling,” she declared.
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Pence Says Kids Shouldn’t Decide Surgical, Chemical Procedures. Mom Of Trans Kid Calls That ‘Appalling.’

Pence Says Kids Shouldn't Decide Surgical, Chemical Procedures. Mom Of Trans Kid Calls That 'Appalling.'

Transgender

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