Former Vice President Mike Pence, after the GOP debate at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, tells Newsmax he remains the "most consistent and most committed conservative" in the Republicans' 2024 primary race.
"I became a Republican because of Ronald Reagan," Pence told Newsmax's "American Agenda" on Thursday. "I was drawn to the party not just by his winsome way of communicating an agenda but also his vision of a conservative agenda of American leadership, limited federal government, the right to life, and traditional values."
And, Pence said that if elected, he'll bring that agenda back to the White House.
That agenda will include continuing to fight against abortion, Pence said, telling Newsmax that he believes the "cause of life is the calling of our time."
"I couldn't be more proud that I played a role in the administration that appointed three of the justices that sent Roe vs. Wade to the ash heap of history and returned the question of abortion to the states and the American people," said Pence.
He also noted that there is a "line of demarcation" between him and former President Donald Trump, "even though he led the most pro-life administration in history."
Pence said his former administration leader is now "shying away from a commitment" to the right for life and has criticized heartbeat bills that have been approved across the nation.
"I want people to know that if I'm president of the United States, they're going to have a champion for life in the Oval Office," Pence added.
But while he said he considers it a privilege to have served as vice president, Pence pointed out that he was also a House conservative leader for 13 years and has also been the governor of Indiana.
"As I said in the debate last night, while others talked about cutting federal spending after Hurricane Katrina many years ago, I led the charge where we were able to secure the Deficit Reduction Act that cut $100 billion out of the federal budget for the first time in a decade," said Pence.
"When I say I'm the most qualified, I mean that I'm the only person in this race that has had leadership experience in the White House, in the Congress, and at the state level. When you think about how much trouble this country is in in the wake of the failed policies of the Biden administration at home and abroad, I think we need we need a president with the experience to marshal the full resources."
Pence also insisted he'll turn around the policies of the Biden administration.
"From the very first day of this administration, they declared war on energy," Pence said. "They shut down the Keystone and Dakota pipelines ... but it was that gusher of spending $2 trillion in unnecessary COVID spending that launched the worst inflation in 40 years, and families are feeling it. I mean, a dozen eggs cost 50% more today than it did the day we left office. Gasoline was $2 a gallon."
And, Pence said, "As I said last night, Joe Biden, you can go to all the picket lines [you] want but we're going to make sure he's in the unemployment line come the fall of 2024."
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Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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