Pence to headline New Hampshire event in June

Former Vice President Mike Pence will headline a campaign event in New Hampshire next month, fueling speculation that he may run for the White House.

The event, first reported by Fox News, is the Hillsborough County Republican Party’s annual Lincoln dinner on June 3, at which Pence is expected to deliver remarks as the dinner’s keynote speaker.

The speech will be one of Pence’s first since leaving the White House in January amid a cloud of criticism surrounding the events of Jan. 6, during which supporters of former President Trump stormed the Capitol and attempted to stop the certification of Trump and Pence’s electoral defeat.

Hillsborough County GOP officials confirmed Pence’s attendance in a Facebook post indicating that tickets for the event would go on sale Tuesday.

“We are very excited to have the vice president as our keynote speaker,” the county party’s chairman, Chris Ager, told Fox News.

Pence’s first public remarks since leaving office occurred Thursday evening in South Carolina, where the former vice president addressed a Palmetto Family Council event.

Thank you Palmetto Family! It was a great honor to be with one of the most effective pro-family organizations in America last night! pic.twitter.com/RFK67dv8kq

— Mike Pence (@Mike_Pence) April 30, 2021

Pence is considered one of a number of pro-Trump figures who could be a serious contender for the GOP nomination in 2024. Trump has also not ruled out another White House bid.

Trump hinted the same day as Pence’s remarks in South Carolina that he could run again, while indicating that he could drop his former running mate from the ticket in favor of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R).

Pence is seen as having fallen out of favor with the former president after the then-vice president declined to intervene in an attempt to stop the certification of the 2020 election results.