this post was submitted on 21 Oct 2023
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Highlights: To watch Pence on the trail these days is to see a man navigating the awkward, abrupt transition from being next in the line of presidential succession just four years ago to backbencher status among the Republican field. You can see him grapple with his own political mortality, working it out in public.

Since disclosing that he has just $1.2 million cash left, alongside more than $620,000 in debt, Pence’s presidential campaign has not said whether he has qualified for the third debate in Miami next month; he’s reached the polling minimum but not the donor threshold.

Nearly six months into his presidential campaign, and fewer than 90 days until the Iowa caucuses, Pence is not seeing massive crowds like his former running mate Donald Trump, or his fellow Midwesterner Vivek Ramaswamy, or Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, or even his longtime frenemy, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley. Thirty folks at Penn Drug store in Sidney on a recent Friday morning; another 30 at the Olive Branch Restaurant in Greenfield that afternoon; 60 at a senior center in Glenwood the next day. Nor is he seeing anything but single-digit backing in polls. In Iowa, he’s currently averaging just 2.6 percent among Republican voters.

It’s difficult to find a political prognosticator who is not on his payroll who gives Pence any plausible shot at winning the nomination, a reality he acknowledged on the trail earlier this month. “The media has already decided how all this is going to end,” he told just 13 people at a Pizza Ranch in Red Oak.

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[–] grue 164 points 1 year ago (2 children)

This lack of support from the Republican base is substantially the result of Pence not cooperating with a fascist coup, and I don't think folks properly appreciate how incredibly ominous that is.

[–] Cappurnikus 18 points 1 year ago (1 children)

They'll definitely keep trying too.

[–] CitizenKong 16 points 1 year ago

As an outside observer, it seems they don't have anything else. What's their platform really? Just stuff that is not popular with the broad majority (like abortion or LBTQ+ rights) and being against whatever the Democrats are doing. That's just pathetic for one of the two biggest parties.

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[–] Buffalox 108 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (4 children)

Mike Pence is pretty far out there, as in he is pretty crazy on many points.
But that's not crazy enough for modern Republicans. Today you need to be bat shit insane to have a chance as a republican.

[–] dual_sport_dork 48 points 1 year ago (1 children)

That, and the Trump sycophants now want his head because they somehow believe that he had the ability to nullify the 2020 election and place Trump in the presidency, which he did not do -- for reasons that are blatantly obvious to anyone else.

[–] Buffalox 34 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Yes as in Republican is the one true religion, if you don't have 100% faith even against evidence, you are a heretic.
Republican is not about politics anymore, it's a cult. A death cult to be precise.

[–] Viking_Hippie 26 points 1 year ago (1 children)

What do you mean it's a cult? It's not like they're making golden statues of their supposed messiah or anything! Oh wait..

[–] shalafi 13 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

This is the sort of thing I would normally call bullshit on. Some idiot being idiot and the whole group getting called on it. Exactly the sort of thing conservatives would play.

"LOOK! See how nuts the libs are!?"

Except this was at CPAC (Conservative Political Action Conference).

Read on if your stomach is strong.

https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/golden-trump-statue-cpac-implies-he-s-king-gop-his-ncna1259362

I ain't even got the strength to go into Old Testament, golden idols, conservative Christians, all that.

[–] cabron_offsets 15 points 1 year ago (1 children)

You just gotta suck russian dick and you’re all set.

[–] Buffalox 10 points 1 year ago

Yes, and that's pretty insane IMO. All the same "values" as a Russian totalitarian. I bet Russians are super happy with Putin's shitshow, and Republicans want the same for USA!

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[–] [email protected] 71 points 1 year ago (3 children)

I think Pence would actually do better if he went full Chris Christie and attacked Trump. Pence stopped a coup attempt by certifying the vote. If the guy would stand up, denounce Trump, and paint himself a hero then he's probably doing a lot better than he is currently. Instead he's sitting on the fence like a massive turd.

[–] iforgotmyinstance 25 points 1 year ago (2 children)

He could pull numbers just by hammering the facts: Trump tried to have him killed. It's a fact, a well known one, and Pence would maintain the moral upper hand as such. But Republicans are all weak greaseballs who can't be creative unless it's to take advantage of someone financially.

[–] [email protected] 19 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Yeah, it's truly disappointing. By the numbers Pence should be an excellent candidate for the right, he's been married (first marriage) to the same person since 1985, he's so religious he has documented life events that he's made decisions based on faith, he's a seasoned politician (Congressman, Governor, and Vice President), and while his politics are terrible I don't think he himself is a bad person.

For that last part, it's a pretty low bar. It's the sort of thought, "If he had the opportunity to kill someone without being caught, and it made him money, I don't think he'd do it." This is the same idea for many of our past presidents and candidates. If my (fictional) teenage daughter passed out for some reason and I had to run to get help, I wouldn't have any concerns leaving Mike Pence (Obama, Biden, George Bush, or Romney) with her for a while so I could get help. Guy might cheat on his taxes or tell a white lie or justified lie, but he seems like a passably nice guy (in the I'll cancel your right to an abortion, but if I get you pregnant I'll own up and take responsibility for you and the child kind of way).

I might be reading more into his character than I should, but add that to mine and your past statement and I totally agree he would be a more popular candidate.

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[–] jeffw 23 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Right, if only his campaign was as successful as checks notes Chris Christie's?????

[–] [email protected] 19 points 1 year ago (2 children)

It's not about the "success" of Christie's campaign. It's about committing to a position. As it stands, Pence looks like a fence sitter. He prevented a coup but still can't call it like it is.

[–] plantedworld 19 points 1 year ago

You've had Elf on the Shelf, get ready for Pence on the Fence!

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[–] robocall 60 points 1 year ago (6 children)

Was he ever a favorite of the right? I thought he was pretty unpopular as governor in Indiana.

[–] Buffaloaf 59 points 1 year ago (3 children)

His purpose was to get more religious crazies on Trump's side. Other than that, Republicans didn't like him.

[–] [email protected] 25 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Seems like a lot of the religious seem to follow Trump regardless. For some reason they buy it when he says his favorite book is the bible and that's he's a Christian. Also, they don't seem to believe Obama when he says he's a Christian...

[–] LemmysMum 14 points 1 year ago

If they knew their messiah was a Middle-Eastern Jewish Socialist they'd die of anurisms. I wish they could read...

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[–] [email protected] 22 points 1 year ago (1 children)

They would have literally killed him if he didn't slip away.

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[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 year ago

I always thought he was super popular with the evangelicals and that those folks are declining in numbers. The way I see it, younger conservatives aren’t as religious and are just spiteful towards the left; when you’re spiteful you want a loud mouth candidate who’ll legitimize your beliefs.

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[–] _number8_ 45 points 1 year ago (3 children)

god what a sad, beautiful ending

seeing him rot in public as everyone realizes in real time he is not what politics is anymore. no one wants a clean cut boring guy who's secretly gay and also evil. their time is over.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 1 year ago

But who they do want is far more terrifying.

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[–] A_Random_Idiot 43 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Mike Pence is a piece of shit that clings to power like a horny dog clings to a leg.

And right now, theres no obvious power going forward to hitch himself to, Thanks to the lawsuits, trials and guilty pleas that are already coming out against Trump, and the rest of the Republican Party collapsing around him due to petty infighting, bullshit, and fanatical fascism.

So that leaves Pence hanging like a damp flag in a windless sky.

Limp, ineffectual, and below notice.

But hey, at least hes not doing active harm to the country at the moment, like wanting to use medicare to torture people straight... Again.

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[–] [email protected] 37 points 1 year ago (4 children)
[–] [email protected] 35 points 1 year ago (2 children)

It's where the best pizzas are raised, free range and natural as god intended. The pizza wranglers are the most talented in the world, after all you have to be something special to be able to lasso a pizza when it's at full gallop!

[–] FlyingSquid 13 points 1 year ago

You really haven't had pizza until you've had grass-fed pizza.

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[–] jerd 15 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Serious reply: Southeast/midwestern pizza buffet brand

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[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Imagine one of those combined Pizza Hut/KFC stores from the 90's, except it's just one big combined buffet of pizza and fried chicken, and the whole place is cowboy themed.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 year ago

I'm at the pizza ranch. I'm at the Pence event. I'm at the combination pizza ranch and Pence event.

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[–] splonglo 23 points 1 year ago

And he's unpopular for doing the right thing. The Trump team wanted him to help them steal the election and he didn't do it. Because of that the MAGAs dragged a full size gallows to the Capitol Building and started chanting 'hang Mike Pence'. I'm surprised he even has the nerve to campaign given how much the followers want him dead.

The thing is - he didn't even have the power to do what they wanted him to do, he couldn't have swung it even if he wanted to.

[–] cabron_offsets 22 points 1 year ago

lol. Fuck every single piece of republican traitor filth.

[–] TropicalDingdong 21 points 1 year ago (5 children)

Burying the lede.

What the duck is a pizza ranch and where can I find one?

[–] Dkarma 24 points 1 year ago (1 children)

They're a Jesus in your face pizza chain kind of like chick fil a. It's really bad pizza and it's buffet style so it's assy and cold.

[–] EvilBit 11 points 1 year ago (4 children)

So it’s like Cici’s but more like Kaykaykay’s?

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[–] o0joshua0o 18 points 1 year ago (4 children)

I can't believe he hasn't thrown in the towel already. No one likes him on either side of the aisle.

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[–] zeppo 16 points 1 year ago (4 children)

It’s highly egotistical and clueless of pence to think he had a chance. My main question about this article though was not about him, but wtf is a “pizza ranch”. That’s how exciting Pence is.

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[–] [email protected] 15 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Republicans want to hang Mike Pence, not hang with Mike Pence.

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[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 year ago (1 children)
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[–] CharlesDarwin 9 points 1 year ago

At what point does Pence wake TF up? His base wanted to hang him. For following the Constitution.

[–] afraid_of_zombies 9 points 1 year ago

Thoughts and prayers.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 year ago

It's the Trump kiss: everything he touches towns to shit

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