Mike Pence once seemed like a social and economic conservative who would be the experienced ballast to Trump, a political newbie who was an unknown quantity. Leftists, however, absolutely despised him because of his conservativism. Now that Pence has thrown his hat into the ring, though, he seems to be trying to get those leftists on his side.

Pence’s candidacy has long struck me as peculiar. As noted, leftists thought he was really bad or, as Biden would say, “a bad dude.” This was a man who was pro-life and an evil homophobe. Indeed, back in 2015 or so, the Indiana Democratic Party had a whole timeline of his evil homophobia:

2000: During his congressional campaign, Mike Pence said, “Congress should oppose any effort to put gay and lesbian relationships on an equal legal status with heterosexual marriage.”

2000: Pence also supported the reauthorization of the Ryan White Care Act only if federal dollars were excluded from organizations who “celebrate” and “encourage” behavior that facilitates spreading of the HIV virus. Further, Pence supported this reauthorization only if “those institutions provided assistance to those looking to change their sexual behavior”, an off-the-cuff endorsement for ex-gay conversion therapy.

2004: Mike Pence co-sponsored a proposed amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would define marriage as solely between one man and one woman.

2007: Pence voted against the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA).

2010: Mike Pence voted against the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal which allowed LGBT Americans to openly serve their country in military service.

That’s just the half of it. According to the Indiana Dems, the outrages continued after.

Image: Mike Pence. Twitter screen grab.

Pence had other fatal flaws, according to the left. They’re summed up in pre-Dobbs an essay from the Intelligencer warning against a Pence presidency, even though he had turned against Trump and alienated Trump supporters when he refused even to try to support Trump on January 6. The article explains that Pence is a Koch puppet, an Evangelical Christian, and an Ayn Rand economic acolyte. Worse, unlike Trump—who the article ironically concedes wasn’t a fascist at all but was, instead, a weak centrist—Pence is the truly “sinister” one.

The essay’s author assures readers that, under Pence’s fascist administration, abortion and same-sex marriage would end, as would entitlements such as Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. Pence would also push the U.S. into global conflicts—an ironic point given that, when the Intelligencer published this essay, Biden had already begun the process in Ukraine of seeding WWIII.

So, where’s that leave Pence’s campaign? Well, it’s clear he’s not even trying to get the Trump vote. Regarding Trump’s federal indictment, Pence has refused to stand by Trump, pompously intoning that “no one is above the law.”

Hypocritically, Pence is above the law because he got a pass despite being guilty of felonious conduct by having classified documents in his house. Meanwhile, Trump is below the law because he’s being persecuted even though, as the president, he had the unfettered right to declassify documents and have them in his possession. Pence’s self-righteousness, despite his own criminal conduct, will not endear him to conservatives.

The problem for Pence is that, even with the Uniparty Republicans at his back, without Trump supporters, Pence cannot win on the right. To prevail, he must have votes from the left. And to that end, Pence has trying to make nice with the LGBTQ++ crowd that so heartily despises him. He recently explained that libertarianism and Christianity come together in protecting adult sex change operations:

Um..... According to @Mike_Pence the way a Christian "loves their neighbor" if they are an adult is to legally protect their right to sex change surgeries?

This is gross. This is ugly. This is wrong. pic.twitter.com/GovBY5ipPt

— Luke Macias (@lukemaciastx) June 20, 2023

Ick. Or as Not The Bee says,

It may be the "libertarian" position but Christianity and the Gospel of Christ requires you to not endorse evil and affirm delusions. "Love your neighbor" was used during the last three years to get pastors and believers to bow to all sorts of wicked things.

If adults can transition, why shouldn't kids be able to? Why is it illegitimate in kids but legitimate in adults? This is a politically nuanced position but morally nonsensical, especially when you understand that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob calls things like gay sexual relations and cross dressing "abominations."

Shame on Pence. It’s easy to suspect that, like so many whom Trump broke, we’re finally getting a look at his real colors—and nobody is going to like them.