INDIANAPOLIS — Mike Pence held a campaign rally at the Indiana State Fair on Wednesday where he addressed his run for president, as well as the new charges Former President Donald Trump faces.
Pence, who served as Trump’s Vice President, repeatedly said he doesn’t feel Trump is fit to be president again.
"Our constitution is more important than any one man's career. That's true of me and that's true of the former president of the United States,” Pence said. “We are going to stand on the facts. We are going to stand by what happened that day and trust ourselves to the judgment of Republican voters and, ultimately, the American people. "
Pence also said he feels that the former president’s lawyers lead him astray in saying Pence had the ability to overturn the election.
"Sadly, the president was surrounded by a group of crackpot lawyers that kept telling him what his itching ears wanted to hear,” Pence said. “I made my case to him of what I understood of my oath to the constitution required. The president ultimately continued to demand that I chose him over the constitution. So, in this moment irrespective of how this case plays out, I want the American people to know that I believe with all my heart that by God's grace, I did my duty that day. I just want people to know that I had no right to overturn the election. Irrespective of what President Trump and his attorneys have insisted over the last two-and-a-half years. "
The economy was Pence’s biggest focus during his speech. He said he is the only Republican candidate that has put out a plan to fight inflation.
"If Mike Pence does one half of what he just promised, this country is coming back gangbusters,” Frog Russell, an Indianapolis native in attendance, said. “This entire administration we are under now has taken us straight to the toilet.”
Voters like Frog aren’t sure who they are going to vote for yet. They still support former president Trump but said after Pence’s speech, they are leaning towards voting for him.
Other voters we talked to say they believe Mike Pence is the man for the job. They don’t want Trump returning to the oval office.
"I think he was a good president, but he doesn't know when to turn it off,” Sandi Townsend said. “I think Mr. Pence is more articulate and a little softer on the pedal you know.”
The voters WRTV spoke with said Trump's most recent indictment has nothing to do with them not supporting him. Some just feel that Pence can bring more unity to the party.
"I'll be able to draw a contrast between my former running mate and others on the stage who increasingly are walking away from that time honored conservative agenda that has built the Republican party over the last 50 years," Pence said.
Pence needs 40,000 donations to be eligible for the first republican primary debate in Milwaukee later this month.
He's not at that mark yet, but Pence says he's confident he will get there. When asked if he believed the indictment against Trump was warranted, he said everyone is innocent until proven guilty.
