Former Vice President Mike Pence remains confident in his campaign for the Republican 2024 presidential nomination, despite facing stiff competition and failing to qualify for the third GOP debate so far.
During an appearance on Meet the Press on Sunday, Pence seemed undeterred by his inability to meet the criteria set by the Republican National Committee for the upcoming debate. As of now, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy have all qualified for the debate, while Pence and 10 other candidates are still vying for their chance to appear on stage.
“We’re working really hard to qualify for the debate,” said Pence. “Lots of people are going to my website and making contributions to support our campaign, and we’re confident we will meet the requirements. And let me say this: I may not have the most money in this race, but I do have the most experience.”
WATCH: As his fundraising and polling numbers struggle, fmr. VP @Mike_Pence won’t say if he’ll drop out of the 2024 race if he fails to qualify for the next GOP debate.
“I don’t have the most money in this campaign, but I do have the most experience.” pic.twitter.com/OlonKP0tMu
— Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) October 22, 2023
The qualifications for the third Republican debate, scheduled for November 8th, include at least 4% support in two polls and 70,000 individual contributions, with at least 200 coming from 20 different states. Former Republican Texas Rep. William Hurd dropped out of the race after failing to qualify for the second debate and has since endorsed Haley. Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, another candidate who did not qualify for the second debate despite appearing in the first one, has yet to qualify for the upcoming debate.
Meanwhile, the front-runner for the Republican nomination, former President Donald Trump, has plans to be in Florida on the night of the debate, but will instead attend a rally. This will be his third time skipping a debate, even though he is likely to meet the qualifications. Pence, on the other hand, is still actively campaigning and reaching out to potential supporters.
During his interview on Meet the Press, Pence quoted scripture, saying, “To whom much is given, much is required.” He also expressed his sense of duty and confidence in his campaign, saying, “We stepped forward out of a sense of duty, and it’s carrying that message and bringing that experience forward that gives us great confidence. So, we’re going to continue to drive forward in this campaign and marshal the support of people all across the country.”
Pence may have had the most speaking time during the first debate, but he was second to last in speaking time during the second one. However, he remains committed to his campaign and is determined to meet the qualifications for the upcoming debate. With his experience and message, he hopes to garner support from voters across the country and ultimately secure the Republican nomination for the 2024 presidential election.