Ex-VP Mike Pence Says Republicans Should Do a Lot of 'Soul-Searching' Before 2028 Election

Former Vice President Mike Pence has urged Republicans to engage in significant "soul-searching" before the 2028 election, framing a critical choice for the party: return to traditional conservative principles or continue down a populist path.

In a Monday, May 12, appearance on “Going Big! With Kevin Gentry,” Pence argued that the GOP must decide if it will stay on the path of Reagan-era conservatism or follow the "siren song of populism" that he believes has defined the party under Donald Trump's leadership.

Pence pointed to policies like unilateral tariffs, a decline in support for Ukraine, and a softening stance on abortion as deviations from traditional Republican values.

"I think Republicans ought to do a lot of soul-searching,” Pence said. "I think Republicans face a new time of choosing — whether we're going to stay on the path of the traditional conservative principles that have always defined our party for the last half century, or whether we're going to follow the siren song of populism."

The 66-year-old former veep issued a subtle criticism of his former boss’ unpopular tariff policies, saying, "We've always been a party committed to low taxes, including low tariffs and free trade. Now, as we witnessed, the president imposed unilateral tariffs on friend and foe alike until the Supreme Court stepped in and used the Constitution to turn him back."

Pence argued that the party has become too focused on personalities rather than core, long-standing conservative values, again throwing some not-so-subtle shade at Trump.

"I know Donald Trump better than his most ardent defenders know him. Okay? And he is not ideological. In fact, he often bristled when I would refer to policies as conservative. He would, with a wave of a hand, say to me, 'That's just common sense,’” he explained.

“But now, as you see the stops and starts on our support for Ukraine under this administration, nationalizing American businesses, unilateral tariffs, price controls on everything from pharmaceuticals to credit cards, all of this should should create a backdrop for a very healthy debate over whether we're going to stay moving in the direction, on these issues, that President Trump has led our party, or whether we're going to re-ground ourselves back to those timeless conservative principles, I think, that have always made not only our party successful but, more importantly, have made America strong and prosperous and free,” Pence concluded.

Through his think tank, Advancing American Freedom, Pence is actively attempting to steer the GOP back toward traditional conservatism.

Reports suggest Pence is considering a 2028 presidential run, positioning himself as a "steady, principled alternative" in a post-Trump era.

However, he has also discussed the possibility of serving as a "kingmaker" to influence the party's direction.

Pence noted that while he is proud of the 2017-2021 administration's record, he has "fairly quietly" differed with Trump's subsequent direction, citing the January 6 Capitol insurrection as a point of divergence.

In April, after Trump attacked Pope Leo, Pence publicly broke with him, stating he would have advised Trump to "let the pope be the pope," while calling Trump's use of AI imagery depicting himself as a "Jesus-like figure" highly "offensive."