CNN’s Van Jones praised former Vice President Mike Pence’s presidential run Wednesday ahead of his upcoming campaign announcement.
Pence filed paperwork to launch his 2024 presidential campaign Monday and is expected to officially announce his candidacy Wednesday. Jones said Pence’s candidacy is “healthy” for both the Republican Party and the U.S.
“I’m glad he’s running. I will say a couple things about Mike Pence. You know, this is somebody who actually believes in something. I don’t agree with him, but he’s a conviction politician. And I think that’s important,” Jones said. “You run because you believe in something, you run because you have something to say to somebody. You aren’t always rewarded in the polls or at the polls, but you gotta at some point, you’re gonna retire, you’re gonna look at your kids, look at your grandkids and say, ‘I did everything I could to advance these values.'”
“So I respect Mike Pence. I think he has the same chance as Chris Christie does, which is zero. But I think it’s healthy for the party and healthy for the country for him to be out there,” he continued.
Pence is taking on former President Donald Trump, his former boss and the current Republican primary frontrunner. Trump previously lambasted Pence for certifying the 2020 presidential election results on January 6, 2021. (RELATED: Pence Says Trump ‘Endangered Me And My Family’ On Jan. 6)
Congress is granted the power to object to state electors’ votes under the Electoral Count Act of 1887.
The former vice president currently averages 3.8% nationally for the Republican nomination, according to a number of polls published by RealClearPolitics.