Pence Says He Was ‘Proud’ To Certify Election Results

Former Vice President Mike Pence said that he was “proud” to certify the 2020 election results.

While speaking at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, Calif., Pence stated: “I will always be proud that we did our part on that tragic day to reconvene the Congress and fulfilled our duty under the Constitution and the laws of the United States. The truth is, there is almost no idea more un-American than the notion that anyone person could choose the American president.”

This perhaps marks Pence’s most forceful attempt yet to separate himself from former President Donald Trump.

Since leaving the White House, Pence’s remarks on Trump have struck an overwhelmingly positive tone.

On Thursday, Pence also discussed the issue of teaching “critical race theory” in K-12 schools. He called the theory “state-sanctioned racism.”

During his speech, Pence cited some of Trump’s accomplishments, such as confronting China on trade. “President Trump changed the national consensus on China,” he said.

Pence even went as far as to compare Trump to former President Ronald Reagan. “He too disrupted the status quo,” the former V.P. said. “He challenged the establishment. He invigorated our movement and set a bold new course for America.”

Earlier this month, Pence spoke at the Lincoln-Reagan Dinner in Manchester, N.H., where he explained that he and Trump may never “see eye to eye” about the Jan. 6 insurrection.

But Pence did not explicitly state that he and  Trump had lost the 2020 election. “I understand the disappointment many feel about the last election,” he said. “I can relate. I was on the ballot. But there’s more at stake than our party or our political fortunes in this moment. If we lose faith in the Constitution, we won’t just lose elections — we’ll lose our country.”

Article by Elizabeth Letsou