Trump Backs Pence. (Not That Pence—His Brother, Greg.)

Topline

Former President Donald Trump on Friday endorsed Rep. Greg Pence (R-Ind.), backing the conservative congressman for reelection despite a dramatic falling out with his brother, former Vice President Mike Pence.

Key Facts

Trump said Friday afternoon Pence has his “Complete and Total Endorsement!” for a third term, since the congressman strongly supports traditional Republican positions, like being anti-abortion, pro-Second Amendment and supporting beefed up border security.

Pence was one of Trump’s staunchest supporters in Congress, voting in line with Trump’s position on every piece of legislation during his first term in the House, according to FiveThirtyEight.

Unlike his brother, Greg Pence publicly bought into Trump’s false claims of widespread fraud in the 2020 election, and voted against certifying Pennsylvania’s presidential electors just hours after a Trump-supporting mob stormed the Capitol on January 6, 2021.

The former vice president told Fox News earlier this year he and Trump haven’t spoken since last summer, after Trump repeatedly attacked him for not somehow blocking Congress from certifying President Joe Biden’s win in the 2020 election.

Crucial Quote

“Greg is working hard to reverse Joe Biden’s disastrous record of out-of-control Inflation and restore the respect our Country deserves from abroad,” Trump said in a statement.

Surprising Fact

Greg Pence has voiced support for his brother amid attacks from Trump and his supporters, despite backing Trump’s fraud claims. After the former vice president declared in February that he “had no right to overturn the election,” Greg Pence told CNN: “I love my brother. I’ll stand by him.”

Key Background

Trump has made a flurry of endorsements ahead of the 2022 midterms, and Pence appears to be a strong choice to win reelection in Indiana’s heavily Republican 6th District. But several of Trump’s endorsed candidates appear to have shaky chances, bringing into question Trump’s longtime status as a GOP kingmaker. Polls show Trump’s highest-profile endorsement, former Sen. David Perdue (R-Ga.), with a double-digit deficit against incumbent Georgia Gov. David Perdue (R) in the state’s GOP gubernatorial primary. A recent Atlanta Journal-Constitution poll found Kemp with a 26 percentage point lead over his Trump-backed challenger.

Further Reading

Trump Rescinds Support For Brooks—Latest Mishap In His Bid To Control Midterms (Forbes)

Pence Says He ‘Had No Right To Overturn The Election’—And Trump Is ‘Wrong’ To Claim He Did (Forbes)

Rep. Greg Pence voices support for his brother Mike Pence amid Trump controversy (CNN)