Mike Pence abruptly drops out of presidential race, says ‘it’s not my time’

Former Vice President Mike Pence announced that he was dropping out of the race for the Republican presidential nomination. 

Mr. Pence, 64, shared his decision during a speech Saturday at a Republican Jewish Coalition Conference in Las Vegas. He told attendees that he “could not sit this one out,” but after traveling the country since launching his campaign this summer, it was clear there was no path to victory. 

“I came here to say it’s become clear to me that it’s not my time,” Mr. Pence said. “So after much prayer and deliberation, I have decided to suspend my campaign for president effective today.”

Mr. Pence’s exit from the crowded field of GOP presidential candidates comes as the former vice president struggled to gain momentum throughout his short-lived campaign. His old running mate, former President Donald Trump, is the proverbial favorite to secure the nomination and has dominated the once-bloated field of 13 candidates. 

Mr. Pence announced his campaign for the White House in June, pitching himself as a candidate who would restore an American dream damaged by inflation. His candidacy was destined for a collision course with Mr. Trump, something that Mr. Pence leaned into campaign trail messaging. 

He framed the 2024 presidential race as a battle between conservatism and Mr. Trump’s brand of populism. 

“I ask my fellow Republicans this: In the days to come, will we be the party of conservatism or will our party follow the siren song of populism unmoored to conservative principles?” Mr. Pence said in September. “The future of this movement, of this great party, belongs to one or the other — not both.”

Mr. Pence’s campaign also struggled with finances. The former vice president leaves the field with just over $1.8 million in cash on hand and $621,000 in debt, according to the latest federal campaign finance filings. 

He was millions of dollars behind the competition, but not in as dire straits as biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, whose latest filings showed that the first-time candidate has $4.2 million on hand, but owes over $15 million. 

With the former vice president’s exit, the field of candidates vying for the GOP nomination has shrunk to eight. 

Mr. Trump, Mr. Ramaswamy, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, North Dakota Gov. Tim Burgum and former governors Chris Christie of New Jersey and Asa Hutchinson of Arkansas are still in. 

But none have come close to encroaching on Mr. Trump’s lead in the polls. The former president is roughly 43 points ahead of second-place stalwart Mr. DeSantis, whose polling has dropped significantly since announcing his candidacy. Ms. Haley rounds out the top three about 49 points behind Mr. Trump. 

Despite exiting the race for the White House, Mr. Pence promised he would not stop being a figure in the GOP. 

“I will never leave the fight for conservative values, and I will never stop fighting to elect principled republican leaders to every office in the land, so help me God,” Mr. Pence said. 

“I came here to say it’s become clear to me that it’s not my time. So after much prayer and deliberation, I have decided to suspend my campaign for president effective today,” Mr. Pence said.