Republicans continue to sour on former Vice President Mike Pence, the latest survey from the Economist/YouGov found.
Republicans remain relatively split regarding their opinions on presidential hopeful Pence. Overall, 47 percent have a very or somewhat favorable view of the former vice president, compared to 45 percent who have an unfavorable view. For greater perspective, according to a summary of the survey, 89 percent of Republicans had a favorable view of Pence prior to the 2020 presidential election.
“Republican views on Pence have grown increasingly negative since the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack, when Pence refused to delay the certification of a Joe Biden victory in the 2020 election,” the survey found.
That, specifically, has continued to remain a point of contention between former President Donald Trump and his former running mate, as Pence recently asserted that Trump wanted him to disregard the Constitution.
Pence claimed during a recent interview on CNN:
But, look, in the days before, the president was talking about us rejecting votes, then late in the process, his lawyers suggested that we return votes to the states, but frankly, the day before January 6, if memory serves, they came back, his lawyers did, and said, we want you to reject votes outright.
They were asking me to overturn the election. I had no right to overturn the election. I know we did our duty that day, and I couldn’t be more encouraged, whether it’s here in New Hampshire, in Iowa, or all across the country, how many people come up to me and express their appreciation for the stand that we took.
That claim was not apparent in a clip from a campaign stop in New Hampshire last week, as Trump supporters confronted Pence, accusing him of being a sellout and traitor.
A dozen Trump supporters approached Mike Pence’s vehicle as he entered his Friday event yelling, “that’s a traitor,” “you’re a sellout,” and “why didn’t you uphold the constitution?”
— Kelsey Walsh (@Kjwalsh_news) August 5, 2023
“I upheld the constitution,” Pence shouted back.
As they badgered him he yelled, “Read it!” pic.twitter.com/gKpeB2mntO
WATCH — Mike Pence: Trump Asked Me to Overturn the Election, “Reject the Vote Outright”
Pence’s remark prompted a retort from Trump, who adamantly denied that he asked Pence to disregard the Constitution.
“WOW, it’s finally happened! Liddle’ Mike Pence, a man who was about to be ousted as Governor Indiana until I came along and made him V.P., has gone to the Dark Side,” Trump exclaimed on Truth Social, adding that he “never” told Pence to put him above the Constitution of the United States.
“I never told a newly emboldened (not based on his 2% poll numbers!) Pence to put me above the Constitution, or that Mike was ‘too honest.’ He’s delusional, and now he wants to show he’s a tough guy,” Trump said, adding, “I once read a major magazine article on Mike. It said he was not a very good person. I was surprised, but the article was right. Sad!”
This week’s Morning Consult survey showed Pence’s unfavorable rating rising to 41 percent, giving him the second-highest unfavorable rating among all GOP candidates.
The survey from the Economist/YouGov was taken August 5-8, 2023, among 1,500 respondents. The margin of error is +/- 2.8 percent when adjusted for weighting.
The survey comes weeks after Pence responded that it was “not my concern” after Tucker Carlson asked him about failing cities during a discussion on further aid to Ukraine.
Carlson said:
I know you’re running for president. You are distressed the Ukrainians don’t have enough American tanks. Every city in the United States has become much worse over the past three years. Drive around. There is not one city that has gotten better in the United States. And it’s visible.
“And yet your concern is that the Ukrainians, a country that most people can’t find on a map, who have received tens of billions of U.S. tax dollars, don’t have enough tanks. I think it’s fair to ask: where’s the concern for the United States in that?” he asked.
“Well, it’s not my concern,” Pence responded. “Tucker, I’ve heard that routine from you before, but it’s not my concern. I’m running for president of the United States because I think this country is in a lot of trouble.”
The Pence campaign later gave Breitbart News a statement:
It’s pretty disingenuous to assert that the man who champions policies that have previously led to the most prosperous economy in American history, including record low minority unemployment rates, would ever say that the Radical Left’s destruction of our country is not a concern.
“It is, and that’s why Mike Pence is running for and will be president of the United States,” the Pence campaign added.
