WASHINGTON, D.C. (NewsNation) — Former Vice President Mike Pence spent much of the early months of his campaign trying to make waves in a crowded field of candidates and among Republican voters, many of whom believe former President Donald Trump’s false narrative that the 2020 election was stolen. However, in the days since Trump was indicted on criminal charges related to the Jan. 6 2021 riots at the U.S. Capitol, Pence says he believes the number of voters angry with him is “growing smaller every day.”
“I’m always very humbled by how many people come up to me and thank me for standing that day on the Constitution of the United States, for keeping my oath in the wake of those tumultuous hours and days,” Pence told NewsNation’s Leland Vittert in an interview Monday.
“The leadership I’m going to provide is letting people know that by God’s grace, on that day, we kept our oath to the Constitution of the United States,” Pence said.
Trump was indicted earlier this month over his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election. The four charges against Trump were unsealed in federal court following a yearlong investigation by special counsel Jack Smith. A number of people including Pence were questioned by Smith’s team as they looked into efforts by Trump and his associates to block the transfer of power to President Joe Biden in the days leading up to the Jan. 6 riot.
In a previous interview with NewsNation’s Elizabeth Vargas, Pence said history will hold Trump “to account for his actions that day,” but added that he’s not convinced they amount to criminality.
“My hope is that a judgment about the president’s actions on Jan. 6 would be left to the American people,” Pence said.
Even though he touts less anger over Jan. 6, recent polling has shown Pence is still not favored by Republican voters and his former boss continues to hold a wide majority as the frontrunner in the Republican primary even after the indictment.
“I am well-known but I’m not known well,” he said to Vittert Monday, explaining he has focused his campaign on changing perceptions created over the past 2.5 years by Trump and his allies.
The latest Morning Consult polling shows that Trump’s support among potential GOP primary voters is at 59% and followed very distantly by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis with 16% support. Pence, meanwhile, is still struggling to hit double digits with his support at 6%. Other polls have had similar results, with FiveThirtyEight showing Trump at 53% and Pence at 5.1%.
The first Republican National Committee primary debate is fast approaching and Pence’s next challenge will be to try and stand out on a stage with at least eight candidates who have qualified so far, though Trump may not attend. The debate is set for August 23 in Milwaukee and will be broadcast on FOX News.