Former Vice President Mike Pence recently revealed the reasons behind his decision to withhold conceding the 2020 election. In an interview with CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, Pence explained that he chose to wait due to the numerous legal challenges filed by the Trump campaign.
Pence stated that he wanted to be respectful of the roughly 60 lawsuits that were pending at the time. He believed it was important to allow the legal process to unfold and hoped that President Trump would eventually accept the election results in the days leading up to January 6.
The lawsuits, which were filed in crucial battleground states such as Arizona, Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, aimed to challenge the election outcome. However, these lawsuits were ultimately dismissed, and election audits confirmed Joe Biden’s victory in every state that Trump contested.
By January 2021, the members of the Electoral College had already cast their votes, officially electing Joe Biden as the 46th president of the United States.
Reports from Politico in 2021 indicated that Trump exerted pressure on Pence to reject the electoral votes during the certification process. At a rally, Trump warned that he “won’t like him so much” if Pence did not comply. However, Pence later clarified to Congress that he did not possess the unilateral authority to accept or reject votes.
The certification process in Congress faced a setback due to the insurrection on January 6, when protesters stormed the Capitol. Some even chanted threats against Pence, heightening tensions during the proceedings.
Presently, both Mike Pence and Donald Trump are vying for the 2024 presidential election, hoping to secure the Republican nomination. According to a June 2023 NBC poll, Trump remains the first-choice candidate for 51% of Republicans, while Pence garners the support of 7% as their first choice.