Former Vice President Mike Pence has announced the suspension of his 2024 presidential campaign, stating that it is not his time to run. In a surprise announcement at the Republican Jewish Coalition’s annual leadership meeting, Pence made it clear that he will not be continuing his bid for the presidency.
Pence’s decision raises questions about the future of the Republican nomination race for 2024. With former President Donald Trump looming large over the field, many are wondering which contenders will follow Pence’s lead and suspend their campaigns.
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According to RJC CEO Matt Brooks, there is no doubt that others will follow suit. The only question is when they will make their announcements. Veteran Republican consultant Ari Fleischer believes that consolidation is inevitable in every election cycle, and this field will shrink.
Mike Pence launched his campaign in June but struggled to gain traction. Despite spending time in key early-voting states and qualifying for the first two Republican debates, his polling numbers remained in the mid to low single digits, and his fundraising efforts fell short.
The final decision to drop out of the race came after recent fundraising failed to alleviate concerns about qualifying for the next debate. Failure to make the stage at the upcoming debate could lead other candidates to reconsider their campaigns.
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While some contenders, such as Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, former ambassador Nikki Haley, biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, and former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, have already met the polling and donor thresholds to qualify for the debate, others like North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum and former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson have yet to qualify.
As the race for the Republican nomination progresses, more candidates are expected to drop out, either formally or due to failing to meet the debate requirements. The winnowing of the field has begun, and consolidation is on the horizon.
