Former Vice President Mike Pence is expected to announce his 2024 presidential campaign on June 7, per a person familiar with his plans, setting up a direct challenge to his onetime boss, former President Trump.
Driving the news: Pence would join Trump, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson and others who are vying for the Republican nomination, or actively exploring a run.
- Close allies of Pence created a super PAC earlier this month to serve as a springboard for his likely presidential campaign.
The big picture: The growing GOP primary presidential field is aiming to challenge President Biden, who announced his re-election campaign in April and is expected to be the Democratic nominee. But first they will first need to contend with Trump's significant support within the party.
Trump also faces several other legal issues, including a special counsel probe into his efforts to interfere with the lawful transfer of power after the 2020 election and his handling of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago.
- In early May, a New York jury also found him liable for sexual abuse and defamation against writer E. Jean Carroll. He was ordered to pay Carroll $5 million in damages. He has appealed the verdict
Meanwhile, Pence faces his own legal and political dilemmas after saying he would fight a subpoena by the special counsel investigating Trump and after classified documents were found at his home in Indiana in January.
Of note: Pence has broken with Trump on multiple political issues like cuts to Social Security and Medicare.
- Pence said earlier this year that Trump "let me down" during the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol and that he hoped the former president "would come around" and recognize the violence of that day.
- So far, candidates and potential candidates in the Republican field have generally declined to directly criticize Trump publicly or have refused to engage with Trump's attacks, Axios' Zach Basu reports.
Only two Democrats, author Marianne Williamson and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., have challenged Biden by announcing campaigns.
Go deeper: GOP's stormy 2024 outlook
Editor's note: This story is developing and will be updated.
