Pilgrimage of Pence to Largest Group of House Conservatives in the Latest Potential 2024 Building Blocks

Another Vice President Mike Pence met Wednesday with Republican Congressmembers to discuss his plans for a House GOP agenda in the event that the party wins the lower chamber majority.

Pence presented his freedom agenda to a group of many members of the Republican Study Committee, (RSC), which he was once chaired before becoming Indiana Governor and vice-president.

Rep. Jim Banks, a fellow Hoosier who is currently the RSC chair (R-IN), spoke with Breitbart News after attending the RSC private event. Banks said political leaders like Pence, as well as others in the potential 2024 arena such as Sens. Josh Hawley, Tom Cotton (R–AR), Marco Rubio (R–FL), or ex-U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, have been drawn to meeting with the massive 168-member caucus that is the “heart and soul of the Republican Conference.”

The RSC “is building the roadmap for Republicans to not only win back the majorities but also to save the country for the long-term,” Banks stated. “And all our voters, Republican leaders, are looking for substance leadership, and the RSC provides it in an unprecedented manner, especially at this crucial moment .”

Thank you to former #RSC Chairman Vice President @Mike_Pence for joining us this morning pic.twitter.com/ffl4lIwtxN

— RSC (@RepublicanStudy) July 20, 2022

Pence’s appearance comes as murmurs about former President Donald Trump making an early announcement for a third bid for the presidency ramp up, and as many in the media, such as the New York Times and CNN, remain hyperfocused on Pence and Trump’s relationship as it relates to 2020 controversies about alleged voter fraud and the January 6 Capitol riot.

” This morning’s meeting wasn’t about January 6. It didn’t even come up except for one comment that’s already been leaked,” Banks clarified, in reference to several reports that Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) stood up during the event and thanked Pence for “defending” the “Constitution” in January 2021.

Banks stated that the Roy comment was “a small exchange during our meeting this morning.” It was small. When we receive the majority .”

, it was like a one-second conversation about our agenda.

Banks said Pence highlighted his 28-page freedom agenda, which Politico first published in March. This ambitious plan, which consists of three components, outlines policies related to American culture and opportunity. It also covers almost every major issue such as crime, energy, border security, criminality, education and taxation.

A Pence adviser quipped to Breitbart News of the plan that it does not include any tax increases, a comment that comes after Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL), the chair of the campaign arm for Senate Republicans, released an 11-point plan with a controversial tax increase provision.

Scott was also criticised by Senator Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-KY as being unnecessary at the time it was released.

Banks stated that, in “obvious contradiction to the Senate,” Pence reiterated Wednesday to House legislators that running on an agenda gives them a mandate to move that agenda forward. Banks stated that “if you run on nothing you have the mandate to do something.” He also said that this contrast to the Senate would be even more obvious when McCarthy releases his House Republican agenda, which McCarthy intends to do in September.

Pence is still active on the political scene after leaving the White House. He has been campaigning for candidates and attending speaking engagements.

Pence’s meeting with the RSC comes just after the former vice president appeared at a gathering Tuesday evening with several of McCarthy’s “young guns” congressional candidates, and just before he was set to deliver a speech about post-Roe America in South Carolina Wednesday evening and attend campaign events in Arizona on Friday.

Pence, who is fervently pro-life and pro-family, spoke Wednesday during his speech to Florence Baptist Temple about the “new chapter in American history” following Roe being “relegated to the ash heap of history where it belongs,” according to a copy of his remarks.

Pence will be campaigning for Karrin Taylor Robson in Arizona on Friday. This will take place in the state where Trump is holding a rally to support Kari Lake, Robson’s main opponent. The competing events will create a closely watched split-screen moment illustrative of the proxy wars playing out ahead of 2024 between Trump and various other GOP factions.

Pence staying so strategically involved and influential has perpetuated speculation that Pence could run — potentially against Trump — in the 2024 presidential primary, but the Pence adviser said the former vice president is laser-focused on the 2022 midterms, which largely dictate how Republicans will fare in 2024.

Banks stated that Pence only spoke highly of the Trump agenda during the RSC meeting.

Banks noted that Trump has plans to collaborate with the RSC on plans to advance his America First agenda. They broke the news to Breitbart News Friday, reporting that Trump would be in reality meeting the RSC at Trump’s residence in Bedminster in New Jersey in August.

Write to Ashley Oliver at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter at @asholiver.

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