Former Vice President Mike Pence will join the list of Republican hopefuls discussing the future of the GOP party in a presidential town hall on CNN moderated by Dana Bash. The highly anticipated event - the first of its kind for the former vice president - is scheduled for Wednesday, June 7 at 9:00 p.m. ET from Grand View University in Des Moines, Iowa.
Pence's appearance comes at a time when speculation surrounding the Republican primary race is running high. Last month, Pence declared that he would make a decision on running for president before the end of June, and news of the town hall suggests that the former VP will make his intentions known soon.
At the Iowa event, Pence will answer questions from both Bash and a live audience made up of Iowa Republicans hoping to participate in the Iowa caucuses. It is expected that the event will focus heavily on Pence's relationship with former President Donald Trump, and how it has changed since the events of January 6th at the Capitol.
In a recent ABC interview, Pence stated that it is time for the Republican Party to move on from Trump and have a “fresh start”. Early polling for the Republican candidates shows Trump leading the pack, with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis coming in second. Pence is in fifth place alongside Nikki Haley at 5% support. The other declared Republican candidates all poll below 5%, including South Carolina Senator Tim Scott and corporate executive Vivek Ramaswamy.
The upcoming town hall follows CNN's controversial broadcast with Donald Trump on May 10th, during which the former president sparred with moderator Kaitlan Collins over the 2020 election and the Capitol riot. While the CNN event sparked a flurry of criticism, this new town hall is likely to be a much calmer affair, allowing Pence to present his viewpoint on issues and showcase his presidential vision for the American people.
With his team already discussing plans for raising money and staffing, the much-anticipated decision of Pence on whether or not he will make an official run for the Republican nomination is impending. The CNN town hall will provide potential voters with a chance to get to know Pence better and evaluate his suitability for the role of President. The former vice president has demonstrated his readiness to face the nation in a respectful and composed manner, and the stakes have never been higher. All eyes will be on Pence when he takes the stage on June 7th.