Former Vice President Mike Pence speaks at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, on April 26, 2023. Photo: Allison Joyce / AFP via Getty
Former Vice President Mike Pence filed paperwork Monday with the Federal Election Commission to launch his 2024 presidential bid.
Driving the news: Pence's FEC filing comes days ahead of his expected formal campaign launch, setting up a challenge to his onetime boss former President Trump.
- Close Pence allies launched a super PAC, called "Committed to America," in May.
- Pence is expected to appeal to evangelical conservatives in Iowa.
The big picture: Pence, who largely avoided criticizing Trump while serving as vice president, has since condemned the former president for his actions during the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.
- Trump sought to convince Pence that he could unilaterally reject electors during the 2020 election, and he defended supporters who threatened to "hang" the former vice president.
- Pence earlier this year said that Trump "let me down" on Jan. 6 and that he and Trump have gone "separate ways" since leaving the White House.
Zoom out: Pence joins a crowded GOP primary field that includes Gov. Ron DeSantis, Sen. Tim Scott and former UN ambassador Nikki Haley.
- Former Gov. Chris Christie is also expected to announce his 2024 Republican candidacy for president this week.