ANAHEIM, Calif.—Former Vice President Mike Pence offered words of encouragement April 18 for young conservative leaders at a fundraising dinner for the Lincoln Institute at a private estate in Anaheim Hills, California.
He fielded mainly softball questions during the event, which was billed as a fireside chat, but addressed his “unapologetic” stance on controversial issues such as the Russia-Ukraine war, abortion and energy policies.
Pence said he and his wife, Karen, have “given prayer consideration” to the possibility of “re-entering public life,” but he stopped short of announcing a run for the presidency.
“I have nothing to announce today,” he said.
Pence said President Joe Biden and his administration have “weakened America at home and abroad” and urged young conservative leaders to “step forward” and run for office.
“You’re here tonight because you love this state, you love this country, and you know what’s made this country strong and prosperous and true through the years,” he told the crowd of more than 200 at the event at the home of supporters Jolynn and Pat Mahoney.
The Lincoln Institute’s Project307 is committed to identifying, training, and supporting conservative activists at the 307 most culturally influential colleges and universities in California.
Foreign Policy
Pence said it’s important the United States continue to back Ukraine and to send a message to Russia that further military aggression won’t be tolerated.“Ukraine is not our war, but freedom is our fight,” he said. “The real challenge we face in the 21st century is Communist China, and I believe the best way to restrain China’s ambitions in the Asian Pacific is for the United States to lead a coalition of the West and repel Russian aggression now.”
He said such action would “send a deafening message to Communist China that we will not tolerate authoritarian regimes using force to redraw the national lines.”
As the leader of the Free World, the U.S. remains “the arsenal of democracy,” Pence said.
“I believe that we need to continue to stand with the courageous fighters in Ukraine, and give them the means to fight and repel the Russian invasion.”
He urged the Biden administration to “stop dragging their feet,” and speed up shipments of missiles, tanks, and aircraft to Ukraine.
“The Ukrainian military has demonstrated their tenacity and their strength,” he said. “And make no mistake about it: Russia is responsible for the unconscionable evasion.”
Pence mentioned former President Donald Trump only once in a reference to the “Trump-Pence” administration.
Russia didn’t try to expand its borders during the Trump-Pence administration because “we made historic investments in our national defense,” he said. “They had gone into the country of Georgia under the Bush administration, they had gone into Crimea under the Obama administration, and after that disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan, they rolled the tanks … across the border.”
The administration demonstrated a willingness to use military power to protect American interests in the world, Pence said.
“When Syria crossed the red line and used chemical weapons against their own people, we hit them with 58 cruise missiles. We unleashed our military in the Arab World, and they took out the ISIS caliphate and their leader, and Qasem Soleimani was taken off the face of the Earth,” he said.
The Home Front
Domestically, Pence called for civil dialogue to resolve political division.“Democracy depends on heavy doses of civility,” Pence said.
He urged conservatives to have faith in the founding principles of America, and in its people.
Sanctity of Life
A staunch pro-life advocate, Pence said the U.S. Supreme Court has handed over the debate over abortion to be decided on a state-by-state basis by overturning Roe v. Wade.“We’ve not come to the end of the debate over the sanctity of life, we’ve come to the end of the beginning,” he said.
Energy and Inflation
Pence, who was inspired by former President Ronald Reagan to enter politics, said the 40th president led the nation at a time similar to today.“We’ve seen America’s credibility in the world erode,” he said. “We had an energy crisis. We had inflation that makes inflation now look small by comparison. We had failed liberal Democrat policies in Washington D.C.”
Pence additionally suggested the U.S. return to nuclear power as a source of clean energy and renew its interests in natural gas production.
Business and Politics
Jolynn Mahoney, a board member of the Lincoln Institute, told the crowd she and her husband are worried about the future of California under the Democratic Party’s supermajority in the state.“One-party rule, which is what we are here in California, corrupts 100 percent of the time,” she said.
Alluding to the exodus of businesses from California, Mahoney said she and her husband are determined to remain in the state.
“We’re staying here in California and we’re going to fight,” she said. “We can take our state back.”
She said she remembered a time when things were better.
“My husband and I were born and raised here. We came from the Golden State when it was the Golden State. We started businesses,” Mahoney said.
But the business climate in California has changed, she said, making it difficult for young entrepreneurs.
She said her daughter, Molly, started her own business in California about six years ago on her own dime, grit, and drive but doing so is much harder today, with so many hoops to jump through, compared to when she and her husband started their companies.
“We understand that it was easier for us, so it makes us sad. It’s hard for her and it’s harder for you guys, so we have to change that in California, and we can change that,” she told the crowd.
