Pence says he's 'staying out of the presidential campaign'

Former Vice President Mike Pence said Friday he does not intend to endorse or wade into the presidential race this November, expressing concerns about the direction of the Republican Party while criticizing the Democratic agenda.

"For my part, I’m staying out of the presidential campaign," Pence said at "The Gathering," an event organized by conservative radio host Erick Erickson.

"For the reason that I cannot endorse this growing abandonment of our allies on the world stage that’s taken hold in parts of our party," he said. "I cannot endorse ignoring our national debt that reached $35 trillion just in the last week. I cannot support marginalizing the right to life in our party as we saw in our national platform."

Pence also cited former President Trump's repeated claims that he should have rejected the 2020 election results on Jan. 6, 2021, when he refused to do so, and rioters stormed the Capitol.

The former Indiana governor made clear he was not supporting Vice President Harris or the Democratic campaign, saying Republicans have "got to hold them accountable and make sure the American people know what they’re offering."

Pence, who ran an unsuccessful primary campaign for the GOP nomination, previously said he would not back Trump. Some anti-Trump Republicans have suggested the former vice president should endorse the Democratic ticket.

Instead, his advocacy group has pledged to invest $20 million this year to shape the conservative agenda and counter what Pence has described as populism “unmoored to conservative principles.”

The $20 million effort will aim to back candidates who embrace more traditional conservative principles, such as a strong military and limited government, and it will champion conservative legislation, such as the Trump-era tax cuts.