The race for the GOP nomination for the 2024 presidential race slowly keeps shrinking, and a new name has announced that they were suspending their campaign. Former Vice President under Donald Trump, Mike Pence made the surprise announcement in Las Vegas earlier on Saturday afternoon.

Pence's announcement was covered here, moments after he announced it at an annual event for the Republican Jewish Coalition.

Pence said: 

It’s become clear to me: This is not my time. So after much prayer and deliberation, I have decided to suspend my campaign for president effective today.”

“We always knew this would be an uphill battle, but I have no regrets,” Pence went on to tell the friendly audience, which 

The report also mentioned that Pence's announcement was greeted "with audible surprise," with the audience "[giving] him multiple standing ovations."

Pence, who was a popular former Congressman and Governor from the state of Indiana, was the surprise pick to be Donald Trump's running mate in 2016, and he went on with Trump to pull out a surprise victory to defeat Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine.

The former vice president's campaign for the top job just never gained any traction. His former boss Donald Trump's lead in the primaries has been pretty much insurmountable across the board, and Pence's role on January 6th, 2021, may have left a bad taste in the mouth of some GOP primary voters. Furthermore, his role touting his foreign policy experience and his unyielding support for the United States to continue to support Ukraine's efforts to defeat the Russian invasion, appear to be a Grand Canyon difference from where some Republican voters stand right now.

One of his former competitors went to X (the site formerly known as Twitter), and praised his service to the conservative cause.

Vice President Mike Pence is a principled man of faith who has worked tirelessly to advance the conservative cause. Casey and I appreciate Mike and Karen for their willingness to put themselves forward in this campaign and wish the Pence family well in their next steps.

— Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) October 28, 2023

Vice President Mike Pence is a principled man of faith who has worked tirelessly to advance the conservative cause. Casey and I appreciate Mike and Karen for their willingness to put themselves forward in this campaign and wish the Pence family well in their next steps.

The former talk show host is expected to remain in politics and continue with the conservative thank tank he founded after leaving the vice presidency in 2021. The group, which is called Advancing American Freedom, is expected to continue to advocate for American involvement in places overseas that Pence and the group feels is in America's vital interest. 

Trump's former Vice President now joins former candidates for President Perry Johnson  Last (Only) Michigan Republican Running for President, Perry Johnson Drops Out and Endorses Trump and Larry Elder Larry Elder Drops Out of 2024 GOP Presidential Race, Endorses Trump, who dropped out in the last week.

No word yet if Pence will end up endorsing anybody in the primary contest or if he would endorse Trump, if Trump were to succeed in winning the nomination for the third time in three presidential cycles.