Former Vice President Mike Pence has officially joined the growing field of candidates vying to be the Republican 2024 presidential nominee after filing paperwork Monday with the Federal Election Commission.
Pence is expected to publicly launch his campaign with a June 7 rally in Des Moines. He is also expected to hold several additional events in Iowa following his campaign announcement, including a CNN town hall at 7 p.m. at Grand View University in Des Moines.
The former vice president has been widely expected to launch a run for the GOP nomination as he has been laying the groundwork for a presidential campaign, making regular visits to Iowa and New Hampshire – both key early voting states.
Pence has aimed to distinguish himself from some of his major Republican rivals, including former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, on issues such as support for Ukraine. Both Trump and DeSantis have suggested that opposing Russia’s war in Ukraine is not “vital” to American interests.
Contributing: Brianne Pfannenstiel and Stephen Gruber-Miller of the Des Moines Register
