Pence Hints at 2024 Presidential Run Former Vice President Mike Pence speaks during an event to promote his new book at the conservative Heritage Foundation think tank in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 19. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
By Charlie McCarthy | Thursday, 20 October 2022 09:04 AM EDT
Former Vice President Mike Pence offered the strongest hint yet that he's considering a 2024 presidential run.
Pence, speaking Wednesday night at a Georgetown University event, was asked whether he would vote for Donald Trump if the former president is the Republican nominee in '24.
"Well, there might be somebody else I'd prefer more," answered Pence, who then smiled and shrugged as audience members laughed and applauded.
"What I can tell you is, I have every confidence that the Republican Party's going to sort out leadership. All my focus has been on the midterm elections, and it'll stay that way for the next 20 days, but after that, we'll be thinking about the future — ours and the nations, and I'll keep you posted, OK?"
Trump, at a fundraiser last week, said an announcement about his 2024 plans will be coming "very soon." He has indicated that he plans to make another run for office, saying that supporters will be "very happy" with his decision.
While Trump and Pence enjoyed a strong relationship during most of their four years in office, things changed when the then-vice president certified the Electoral College results hours after protesters stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
Trump and allies insisted that Joe Biden won the 2020 election due to voter fraud in several swing states, and wanted the electoral results returned to the states for investigation.
"Mike committed political suicide by not taking votes that he knew were wrong," Trump said, The Washington Post reported.
Pence disagreed.
"President Trump is wrong," the former vice president said in February in Florida. "I had no right to overturn the election."
Pence spoke and answered questions during his appearance Wednesday night before Georgetown's Institute of Politics and Public Service.
He has been traveling to support GOP candidates running in the Nov. 8 midterms election, and also has visited early 2024 primary and caucus states, particularly South Carolina and Iowa.
So far, Pence has stressed the Republican Party's overall vision going forward rather than to focus on Trump's role.
Earlier Wednesday, while appearing before The Heritage Foundation, Pence warned conservatives against straying too far toward "unprincipled populism."
"Conservatism is bigger than any one moment, any one election, any one person. It's about ideas," Pence said. "I truly do believe it's absolutely essential that we articulate a vision for the path ahead."