During a “SiriusXM Town Hall” event at New England College, former Vice-President Mike Pence urged the Republican party to return to the core conservative principles exemplified by former President Ronald Reagan. Pence called for a departure from populist policies and a recommitment to a conservative agenda.
Pence emphasized the choice facing the Republican Party, whether to present a candidate and a standard bearer who upholds the common-sense conservative agenda, including a strong national defense, American leadership on the global stage, fiscal responsibility, pro-growth policies, and a commitment to traditional values, liberty, and life. Alternatively, he warned against embracing populism detached from conservative principles.
He expressed concern that some Republican candidates, including his former running mate, were moving away from the conservative agenda. This shift included neglecting American leadership in the world, ignoring the pressing debt crisis, and marginalizing the pro-life cause.
Pence stressed the importance of these issues, underscoring that they had been central to the conservative movement. He recounted his own political journey, from being a young Democrat to aligning with the Republican Party based on the common-sense principles championed by Ronald Reagan. Pence argued that these principles had not only led to electoral victories for the GOP but had also delivered real prosperity and security to the American people.
In conclusion, Pence framed the current moment as a “Republican time for choosing,” where the party must decide whether to adhere to its time-honored conservative traditions or veer toward populism, potentially echoing the policies of the opposing party.