Former Vice President Mike Pence has no doubt in his ability to hold his own in a debate against his past running mate, former President Donald Trump. According to him, they've debated several times over the years — just without the cameras.
"People ask me all the time: How do you envision debating Donald Trump?" he told radio host Hugh Hewitt on Wednesday. "I tell them I've debated Donald Trump 1,000 times, with the cameras off."
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Pence explained that he and Trump didn't always see eye to eye over the course of their administration.
"I know how to have a good policy debate with the president," he assured Hewitt. "I look forward to it and I sure do hope he comes to every single one of those debates."
The Indiana Republican also reiterated his commitment to sign the Republican National Committee's somewhat controversial pledge to support the eventual nominee in order to qualify for the debate stage in August.
"I'll be supporting the Republican nominee," he said. "Especially if it's me."
The former vice president added, "I'm going because I have a little bit of experience with nationally televised debating. Some people think we did all right," referencing his past debates with vice presidential candidates Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) in 2016 and Kamala Harris in 2020.
He further criticized those who might plan to skip the debate, most notably Trump who has avoided making any commitment to the event. "You're not talking to each other," he said of the debate. "You're talking to the American people."
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"I wouldn't pass up on the opportunity to talk to the American people about our vision, our experience, our love for this country for anything, so you better believe that I'm going to be at Milwaukee. I will be on that debate stage, and wherever two or more Republican candidates for president are gathered there, I will be also," Pence said.
Pence is currently polling in third place in a hypothetical Republican primary race, with 7%, per Morning Consult. He is behind both Trump (57%) and Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), who has 19%.