Pence returning to Iowa for Ernst event amid 2024 speculation

Former Vice President Pence will head to Iowa next month for Sen. Joni Ernst’s (R-Iowa) annual “Roast and Ride” event as Pence weighs whether to enter the 2024 presidential race.

Ernst and Pence announced Monday morning that the former vice president would be a guest at the June 3 event at the state fairgrounds in Des Moines.

“Looking forward to being back in Iowa with @joniernst for the 2023 Roast and Ride!” Pence tweeted.

Ernst has invited confirmed and potential Republican presidential candidates to take part in the event next month, which features a motorcycle ride through Des Moines and a larger event at the state fairgrounds.

Nikki Haley, the former South Carolina governor who is a declared 2024 Republican candidate, has already confirmed she will attend.

The former vice president has made several trips to Iowa over the past year, as well as other states that are early on the primary calendar, like New Hampshire and South Carolina. Pence last month spoke at the Faith and Freedom Coalition event in Clive, Iowa, where he received a warm reception from the gathering of evangelical voters.

Pence is weighing whether to run for the GOP presidential nomination in 2024, which would pit him against his old running mate, former President Trump. Pence has said anybody who wants to get into the race and be competitive would likely need to decide by June whether to do so.