President Donald Trump is only 200 days into his first term, but other Republicans are already eyeing the Oval Office.
The New York Times reported Saturday that GOP figures from Sen. Ben Sasse to Vice President Mike Pence are already beginning to lay plans for a 2020 campaign as if Trump weren’t involved at all. The Times reports:
According to the Times, the potential candidates, who also include Gov. John Kasich and Sen. Tom Cotton, are mostly laying groundwork in case Trump chooses not to run again. Multiple advisers to Pence have told party donors that he would plan to run if his boss did not.
But Pence fiercely denied the rumors over the weekend, calling the Times article “disgraceful and offensive.”
“The allegations in this article are categorically false and represent just the latest attempt by the media to divide this administration,” Pence said in a statement. “The American people know that I could not be more honored to be working side by side with a president who is making America great again.”
White House counselor Kellyanne Conway also denied the rumor Sunday on ABC’s This Week.
“It is absolutely true that the vice president is getting ready for 2020,” Conway said, “for re-election as vice president.”
