A spokesman for Vice President Mike Pence said that a report Saturday about the Pence camp preparing for a possible 2020 run for president is “ridiculous” fake news.
“Claims @VP preparing for 2020 run are ridiculous #FakeNews and nothing more than wishful thinking by New York Times,” tweeted Marc Lotter, Pence’s press secretary.
Claims @VP preparing for 2020 run are ridiculous #FakeNews and nothing more than wishful thinking by New York Times ?
— Alyssa Farah (@VPPressSec) August 5, 2017
The article that prompted the tweet from Lotter discussed Republican efforts to create a “shadow campaign” for the 2020 election, as faith in President Trump is dropping among the GOP faithful. Though the New York Times reported Pence himself has not overtly signaled his intention to run counter to his boss, it does mention that some of his aides have been speaking out in private about a possible campaign.
In particular, the article cites a meeting in June with involving Al Hubbard, an Indiana Republican who was an economic official in the George W. Bush administration and an aide to the vice president, Marty Obst. According to two unnamed sources, the pair discussed the prospect of being prepared for a Pence 2020 run and that Hubbard’s help would be needed.
However, when the Times reached out to Obst, he replied that Pence plotting for 2020 is “beyond ridiculous.” Hubbard declined to comment.
The Times also notes Pence’s busy schedule, including GOP events and fundraising efforts, and picking political operative Nick Ayers as his chief of staff, as a possible indicator of 2020 ambitions.
In public, Pence has been nothing short of supportive of Trump and his agenda.
