(Headline USA) Former Vice President Mike Pence refused to say whether he’d drop out of the 2024 presidential race, despite his campaign’s dwindling finances and his failure thus far to qualify for the third GOP debate.
“We’re working really hard to qualify for the debate,” Pence told MSNBC’s Meet the Press.
He claimed that there were many donors visiting his website to assist him in making the contributions needed to qualify for the debate, which is set to be hosted by NBC News in Miami on Nov. 8.
“I will tell you, I don’t have the most money in this campaign, but I do have the most experience,” he said.
The Republican National Committee’s requirements for the next debate include two polls that show at least 4% support and 70,000 individual contributions, with at least 200 contributions coming from 20 different states.
“We stepped forward out of the sense of duty, and it’s—it’s carrying that message, bringing that experience forward that gives us great confidence,” Pence said. “So, we’re going to continue to drive forward to this campaign and continue to marshal the support of people all across the country.”
A report last week revealed that Pence’s 2024 campaign is drowning in more than $600,000 of debt with only $1.2 million in cash reserves.
Pence even injected $150,000 of his personal funds into the campaign last quarter, according to Politico.
“That debt number is gonna be impossible to pay back,” an anonymous Pence ally said. “When he drops out he’s going to have to do debt-retirement fundraisers.”
Former Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, who ran for the presidency in 2016, said it’s only a matter of time before Pence drops out.
“For Pence and many of the others, you gotta start looking and saying, ‘I’m not going to go into substantial debt if I don’t see a pathway forward,’” he said.
Former President Donald Trump, meanwhile, is leading every one of his rivals by at least 40 points in national polls and ended September with $37.5 million on hand.
