Mike Pence Evasive On Whether He Would Remove ‘Hang Mike Pence’ From Republican Platform

FORT DODGE, IA—At a local diner in rural Iowa today Mike Pence could be seen greeting voters. This modest Iowa town is a perfect representation of the Republican base in the first in the nation voting state.

Vice President Pence may seem like a strong candidate to these red voters. He talks a hardline about traditional family values, and professes a hardnosed love of Christian evangelism demanding a bible stand on every corner. However not all has been peachy for this would-be presidential nominee.

When asked to address rumors that candidate Pence may consider removing ‘hang Mike Pence’ from the Republican platform Pence got testy.

“Well, I do believe there may be some experts who believe it is not a vital part of the platform” declared Mike Pence. However, with a sigh he continued “yet if the popular demands of the Republican Party require it to stay in the platform then there is not much I will do about it.”

“Hang Mike Pence” is a central stance of the leading Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump who is expected to make it a priority if elected to a second term as president. Opinion polls have even shown it as one of the few issues to have bipartisan support with some Democrats favoring the policy. Still, Mike Pence seems lukewarm on the issue, support of which could help bolster his flailing campaign numbers.

“It is unimaginable that any Republican would avoid this issue like Mike Pence has” said political strategist Dan Krebs. “If I were Mike Pence I would be running on a platform of competency and telling the Republican electorate ‘Hang Mike Pence’ is something I could achieve unlike Donald Trump.”

Likewise, many Republican primary voters believe taking a stand against having “hang Mike Pence” on the Republican Party platform would cause them to take negative views on the candidate. This was echoed by Iowa diner resident and loyal Republican voter Evan Baker.

“I am a humble voter like my parents before me. I believe in traditional values, marriage is between a man and a woman, dresses are for women and lumberjacks, and ‘Hang Mike Pence’ belongs on our platform” said Evan Baker.

‘Hang Mike Pence’ has its origins deep in Republican history, predating the memory of any political journalist. Rumors swirled that Mike Pence himself was lukewarm on the policy due to the resemblance of his own namesake. Mike Pence himself claims to have come from a long line of people with the last name Pence. His uncertain response has only further inflamed rumors and may be responsible for recent polls showing his inability to make headway in the Republican primary.

Although polls have looked grim Dan Krebs believes there are opportunities for Pence to turn his polling around.

“Mike Pence still has time to put this debacle behind him” says Krebs. “He could come out with a strong statement in support of hanging Mike Pence to put this issue at rest and it may even help him in the general election where the issue has support with potential swing voters.”

A recent Iowa mills poll spills doom for Mike Pence, showing him with a minus forty percent approval rating. Krebs thinks this poll shows opportunity for Pence.

“First off, this is the bottom and Mike Pence can only go up from here. After all, no one is able to get lower approval ratings than this.” Krebs continued “He should use this as an opportunity to introduce himself. The same Iowa Mills poll showed thirty percent of voters do not know who he is including fifty percent of Republicans. With such high unknowns Mike Pence still has a shot in this race.”

Mike Pence himself has tried to talk up his experience spending two decades in office between the house, a governor’s office, and most recently as the 48th Vice President of the United States. The strategy of talking up experience should be avoided according to Krebs.

“Mike Pence needs to change tone and start talking about issues Republican voters care about. Voters see his experience as a long time ago. Few people remember who Donald Trump had as vice president so claiming to have been in the position does little for him. For example, no one knows who was vice president under Barack Obama.”