Pence talks with Iowa’s Reynolds amidst their disputes with Trump.
Former President Donald Trump Casts Shadow Over “Fair-Side Chat” at Iowa State Fair
The “Fair-Side Chat” at the Iowa State Fair between former Vice President Mike Pence and Gov. Kim Reynolds (R-IA) was overshadowed by the presence of former President Donald Trump. However, Trump’s name didn’t come up much in their conversation.
Trump has had ongoing feuds with both Pence and Reynolds over their loyalty. He has consistently criticized Pence, his former running mate and now 2024 rival, for not supporting his alleged plan to contest the 2020 election results. This plan is now at the center of last week’s federal grand jury indictment against Trump.
Up for Debate: Where Trump, DeSantis, and the Rest of the Republican 2024 Field Stand on Key Issues
Last month, Trump publicly criticized Reynolds for remaining neutral in the Republican presidential primary race and for her perceived closeness to his competitor, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL). On his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump posted, “I opened up the Governor position for Kim Reynolds, & when she fell behind, I ENDORSED her, did big Rallies, & she won. Now, she wants to remain ‘NEUTRAL.’ I don’t invite her to events! DeSanctus down 45 points!”
Since then, Reynolds has not wavered from her neutral stance and has even praised DeSantis’s campaign efforts in Iowa. In an interview with Fox News, she said, ”I know that he is doing the 99 county tour and he’s showing up in rural Iowa. He’s talking to voters. He’s listening to voters. He’s talking about his vision, and that’s a really good thing to do.”
During their chat, Pence subtly referred to the indictment at the end of their discussion. “I was always loyal to President Donald Trump until the day came that my oath to the Constitution required me to do otherwise,” Pence said. “But I’ll always be proud of the record of the Trump-Pence administration.”
Interestingly, Trump declined Reynolds’s invitation to participate in her “Fair-Side Chats,” despite most other 2024 rivals agreeing to speak with the governor.
Meanwhile, Pence has intensified his criticisms of Trump following the indictment. In response, Trump has launched fiery attacks against Pence, attempting to undermine him. While Pence spoke at the Des Moines Register political soapbox, calling for new GOP leadership, Trump vented on Truth Social. He wrote, “I never asked Mike Pence to ‘disregard the Constitution.’ Nor did I tell him that he was ‘too honest.’ He is under great pressure and getting very bad advice from Marc ‘Long’ and perhaps some of his other advisers. His poll numbers have just gone down from an already anemic level. Liddle’ Mike now wants to be a tough guy. He could have had greatness, but chose another path!”
Although Pence didn’t directly address Trump’s post during his chat with Reynolds, he did offer a subtle critique. “I’m running because I think this is no time for on-the-job training; challenges America is facing in the world are profound,” he said. “And we need leadership that can appeal to the better angels of our nature. Leadership that can at least have the possibility of bringing the American people together to strengthen our nation, to revive our economy, to defend our values.”
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