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Former vice president Mike Pence on Wednesday announced that he is entering the running for the 2024 presidential election, setting up a heated competition for the Republican nomination with former president Donald Trump, The Independent reports.

In a launch video for his campaign, Mr Pence said a "different leadership" could turn the country around to prevent the American dream from being "crushed".

“Today our party and our country need a leader that will appeal, as Lincoln said, to the better angels of our nature,” Mr Pence continued.

While the video highlights Mr Pence’s work as vice president, it avoids making a single mention of the man he served during that period – Mr Trump.

“My family and I have been blessed beyond measure with opportunities to serve this nation, and it would be easy to stay on the sidelines,” he said.

"But that’s not how I was raised. That’s why today, before god and my family, I am announcing I am running for president of the US.”

The former Indiana governor continued: “We can bring this country back. We can defend our nation and secure our border.

“We could revive our economy, and put our nation back on a path to a balanced budget, defend our liberties and give America a new beginning for life.”

Mr Pence, 63, served as a member of the House of Representatives between 2001 and 2013 and as Indiana’s governor between 2013 and 2017, but rose to international attention as Mr Trump’s running-mate in 2016.

He remained at Mr Trump’s side throughout his tumultuous one-term presidency, a source of constant support until even his loyalty was tested beyond breaking point by the events of 6 January 2021.