Former US VP Mike Pence campaigns for Brian Kemp, tells voters to move forward

Former US Vice President Mike Pence is getting involved in the states that are holding primaries at this time for the upcoming midterm elections. Pence recently campaigned for Georgia’s incumbent GOP gubernatorial candidate Brian Kemp, telling Republican voters to move forward.

Pence stepped into the campaign trail for Kemp, who has drawn the ire of former President Donald Trump for refusing to overturn Joe Biden’s win in the state in the 2020 elections. Trump is backing former GOP Senator David Perdue, who is challenging Kemp for the gubernatorial position.

In his speech to voters, Pence did not directly criticize Trump or name Perdue as he urged voters to look towards the future, rather than dwell on the past.

“Elections are about the future. There are those who want to make this about the past,” said the former vice president. “When you say yes to Governor Brian Kemp tomorrow, you will send a deafening message all across America that the Republican Party is the party of the future.”

“We’re in a fight for the soul of our state. We cannot take tomorrow for granted,” said Kemp in his speech.

Kemp appears to ultimately emerge as the GOP nominee for governor against Democratic candidate Stacey Abrams, who is a prominent voting rights activist. The race would look like a rematch from when Kemp and Abrams first went against each other back in 2018.

Some supporters of the incumbent candidate saw Pence’s involvement in the gubernatorial race as good for the GOP, citing that it would be good to finally distance the party from the former president’s influence.

Pence’s involvement in the GOP campaign trails also comes amidst speculation that he is hoping to launch a presidential bid for 2024. In an interview with the New York Times published Monday, the former vice president appeared to signal that he may look to run for president regardless if his former boss decides to run for another term again.

“We’ll go where we’re called,” said Pence, whose comments came ahead of his appearance at a rally for Kemp.

Pence has taken a further break from Trump, especially following the January 6 insurrection, where he became a target by the pro-Trump mob for refusing to overturn the electoral votes.

The former vice president previously delivered a sharp rebuke to Trump by saying he was wrong for saying that the vice president had the authority to throw out the 2020 electoral votes.