Mike Pence signals potential run for president

Mike Pence didn't rule out running for president when asked by Fox News this week.Pence, the vice president during President Donald Trump's first term, ran and lost in the 2024 Republican primary after his anti-Trump turn cratered his popularity among voters. Now, he says many allies and activists are asking him to give it another go. 'We've been hearing from a lot of people around the country.'Pence took an open shot against Trump's brand and policies in an interview with Fox News that published Friday.“I saw in President Trump’s [2024] campaign for re-election, I saw an embrace of policies that now have come to fruition in this administration," Pence said, "departures from that traditional conservative agenda.”The former vice president went on to claim that his brand of conservatism is what America wants and needs."I just feel absolutely determined to use what remains of my bully pulpit to work with our team in Advancing American Freedom and to travel all across this country and make the case for the conservative principles that have always made America strong and prosperous and free," Pence said. Advancing American Freedom is Pence's think tank, founded in 2021, which advocates for conservative policies and doubles as his personal political vehicle.When asked if he was considering a run for president in 2028, Pence said he had received an outpouring of support from friends and conservative activists.“We’ve been hearing from a lot of people around the country," he said. "I’ve been very humbled by that.”RELATED: Far-left Democrat announces his bid to dethrone Chuck Schumer Viktor Kovalchuk/Global Images Ukraine via Getty ImagesPence also refused to throw his weight behind current Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, or any other potential contenders for the 2028 Republican nomination."What I'm gonna be looking for is men and women who embrace that historic, traditional conservative agenda of the Republican Party. There's a lot of folks on the populist right that suggest that people that hew to that old Reagan tradition don't know what time it is," Pence said when asked about supporting other potential contenders. "And I think the midterm elections have given a verdict on their approach to Republicanism. So I'm going to be looking very intently and listening very intently for leaders who are willing to stand strong on that conservative agenda."He added: "I don't know what the future holds for some of my friends and colleagues or for me and for my family. I really believe if we don't get the Republican Party back to those conservative principles that have defined our party over the last 50 years, it won't matter who we nominate in 2028."Pence mounted a campaign in the 2024 Republican presidential primary only to drop out at the Republican Jewish Coalition Conference in October 2023.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!