Vice President Mike Pence was quick to shut down rumors that he is allegedly running for president in 2020, CNN reported.
Pence issued an official statement from his office saying that those speculations were “disgraceful and offensive” to him, to his family and his entire team.
He also said in the report that the rumors circulating about his possible 2020 presidential bid are “laughable and absurd.”
Over the weekend, The New York Times published a story detailing a “shadow campaign” that is being brewed for the next four years should incumbent president Donald Trump will not seek a second term.
The New York Times also said that in case Trump declines the bid, his vice president would be the first to take the opportunity. The report further alleged that Pence already had advisers, who communicated with possible donors for his planned campaign, should Trump decide not to seek another term.
"[His] schedule is packed with political events that Republicans joke that he is working on more like a second-term vice president wishing to clear the field than a No. 2 elected around a few months ago," the story went on.
Working with the president
“The article written in the New York Times is offensive to me, my family, and the rest of my team. The allegations in this piece are categorically false and represent just the recent media attempts to divide this Administration,” Pence’s official statement said.
The alleged shadowing of the incumbent president’s 2020 run was explained in the article he was referring to. The story quoted Arizona Sen. John McCain saying that weakness can be seen on Trump.
During the 2016 race, Trump was seen changing the game in order to clinch the Republican nomination.
"In many cases, the shadow hopefuls and their operatives have signaled that they are preparing only if Mr.
Trump is not available in the next presidential bid,” the story went on further.
However, the former governor denied the claims, saying in his official statement that he is working hand in hand with the president who is making the country great again.
Mark Zuckerberg for president?
Though the next White House race is not happening very soon, there are already a couple of names coming out on possible candidacies.
One of them is Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. News.com.au recently reported that Zuckerberg is rumored to run for America’s highest political office because of a plan to visit 30 states that he has not been to before.
