WELL, THANKS FOR SHARING WITH US THE EVER EXPANDING RACE WITH US THE EVER EXPANDING RACE FOR THE WHITE HOUSE IS HEATING FOR THE WHITE HOUSE IS HEATING UP IN MAY OF JUNE. UP IN MAY OF JUNE. NOW JUNE OF 2023 . NOW JUNE OF 2023 . A COUPLE OF BIG TIME A COUPLE OF BIG TIME REPUBLICAN FIGURES ARE EXPECTED REPUBLICAN FIGURES ARE EXPECTED TO MAKE IT OFFICIAL NEXT WEEK. TO MAKE IT OFFICIAL NEXT WEEK. SOURCES TELL ABC NEWS THAT SOURCES TELL ABC NEWS THAT FORMER VICE PRESIDENT MIKE FORMER VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE, HE'LL GIVE A KICKOFF PENCE, HE'LL GIVE A KICKOFF SPEECH IN IOWA ON WEDNESDAY. SPEECH IN IOWA ON WEDNESDAY. HIS ANNOUNCEMENT PITTING HIM HIS ANNOUNCEMENT PITTING HIM AGAINST HIS FORMER BOSS AGAINST HIS FORMER BOSS AND CURRENT FRONTRUNNER. AND CURRENT FRONTRUNNER. OF COURSE, FORMER OF COURSE, FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP AND PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP AND FORMER NEW JERSEY FORMER NEW JERSEY GOVERNOR CHRIS CHRISTIE ALSO GOVERNOR CHRIS CHRISTIE ALSO PLANNING TO ANNOUNCE HIS GOP PLANNING TO ANNOUNCE HIS GOP BID IN NEW HAMPSHIRE BID IN NEW HAMPSHIRE ON TUESDAY. ON TUESDAY. ABC NEWS DEPUTY ABC NEWS DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR AVERI HARPER POLITICAL DIRECTOR AVERI HARPER JOINING US NOW. JOINING US NOW. >> ALL RIGHT, AVERY , WHAT ARE >> ALL RIGHT, AVERY , WHAT ARE WE LEARNING ABOUT PENCE'S WE LEARNING ABOUT PENCE'S ANNOUNCEMENT? ANNOUNCEMENT? LET'S START THERE. LET'S START THERE. TRUMP VOTERS TURNED ON HIM WHEN TRUMP VOTERS TURNED ON HIM WHEN HE CERTIFIED THE TWENTY HE CERTIFIED THE TWENTY TWENTY ELECTION RESULTS. TWENTY ELECTION RESULTS. HOW DOES HE PLAN TO PERSUADE HOW DOES HE PLAN TO PERSUADE THEM TO COME BACK TO HIS SIDE? THEM TO COME BACK TO HIS SIDE? RIGHT. RIGHT. SO WE EXPECT FORMER VICE SO WE EXPECT FORMER VICE PRESIDENT TO LAUNCH HIS PRESIDENT TO LAUNCH HIS CAMPAIGN WITH A SPEECH IN IOWA, CAMPAIGN WITH A SPEECH IN IOWA, AND THAT WILL KICK OFF HIS AND THAT WILL KICK OFF HIS EFFORT TO CAMPAIGN IN ALL EFFORT TO CAMPAIGN IN ALL 99 COUNTIES OF THE EARLY CAUCUS 99 COUNTIES OF THE EARLY CAUCUS STATE. STATE. AND YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. AND YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. LISTEN, THE LAST TIME I WAS IN LISTEN, THE LAST TIME I WAS IN IOWA, I SPOKE WITH REPUBLICAN IOWA, I SPOKE WITH REPUBLICAN VOTERS AND MANY OF THEM LAUGHED VOTERS AND MANY OF THEM LAUGHED OFF THE NOTION OF A PENSE OFF THE NOTION OF A PENSE CANDIDACY, SOME CALLING HIM CANDIDACY, SOME CALLING HIM A TRAITOR. A TRAITOR. SOME SAYING THAT HE BETRAYED SOME SAYING THAT HE BETRAYED FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP ON JANUARY 6TH. TRUMP ON JANUARY 6TH. AND SO IT IS QUITE POSSIBLE AND SO IT IS QUITE POSSIBLE THAT DIE HARD TRUMP VOTERS ARE THAT DIE HARD TRUMP VOTERS ARE NEVER GOING TO LOOK TO MIKE NEVER GOING TO LOOK TO MIKE PENCE AS A VIABLE CANDIDATE PENCE AS A VIABLE CANDIDATE AND THAT'S GOING TO BE AN AND THAT'S GOING TO BE AN UPHILL BATTLE FOR HIM AS HE UPHILL BATTLE FOR HIM AS HE TRIES TO GET THIS NOMINATION TRIES TO GET THIS NOMINATION SLAVERY. SLAVERY. >> NOW, LET'S TALK ABOUT >> NOW, LET'S TALK ABOUT CHRIS CHRISTIE R R SOMETIME CHRIS CHRISTIE R R SOMETIME COLLEAGUE HERE AT ABC NEWS . COLLEAGUE HERE AT ABC NEWS . >> WE SHOULD DISCLOSE THAT. >> WE SHOULD DISCLOSE THAT. AND CERTAINLY A FRIEND. AND CERTAINLY A FRIEND. BUT WHEN HE RAN IN 2016 AGAINST BUT WHEN HE RAN IN 2016 AGAINST TRUMP , HE DID NOT DO VERY TRUMP , HE DID NOT DO VERY WELL. WELL. MANY REPUBLICANS LIKE MANY, MANY REPUBLICANS LIKE MANY, DON'T. DON'T. >> WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO >> WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO DIFFERENTLY TO DO BETTER THIS DIFFERENTLY TO DO BETTER THIS TIME AROUND? TIME AROUND? RIGHT. RIGHT. WELL, HE IS IN A VERY DIFFERENT WELL, HE IS IN A VERY DIFFERENT PLACE THAN HE WAS DURING 2016 PLACE THAN HE WAS DURING 2016 AFTER HE DROPPED OUT OF AFTER HE DROPPED OUT OF THE RACE. THE RACE. HE WAS IN DONALD TRUMP'S HE WAS IN DONALD TRUMP'S CORNER. CORNER. NOW HE IS VOCALLY ANTI TRUMP. NOW HE IS VOCALLY ANTI TRUMP. AND THAT'S GOING TO BE AND THAT'S GOING TO BE A COMPLICATING FACTOR FOR HIM A COMPLICATING FACTOR FOR HIM AS HE ENTERS THIS RACE. AS HE ENTERS THIS RACE. I THINK QUITE INTERESTING THAT I THINK QUITE INTERESTING THAT HE'S GOING TO LAUNCH HIS BID IN HE'S GOING TO LAUNCH HIS BID IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, A STATE WHERE HE NEW HAMPSHIRE, A STATE WHERE HE DID VERY POORLY IN THE PRIMARY DID VERY POORLY IN THE PRIMARY THERE AND DROPPED OUT SHORTLY THERE AND DROPPED OUT SHORTLY AFTER. AFTER. >> SO NOW YOU HAVE FLORIDA >> SO NOW YOU HAVE FLORIDA GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS ALSO GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS ALSO TAKING UP HIS CAMPAIGN IN IOWA. TAKING UP HIS CAMPAIGN IN IOWA. WHAT'S BEEN HIS MESSAGING WHAT'S BEEN HIS MESSAGING AND HOW DOES HE PLAN AND HOW DOES HE PLAN TO DISTANCE HIMSELF FROM TO DISTANCE HIMSELF FROM TRUMP ? TRUMP ? AND IS HE DOING A GOOD JOB THUS AND IS HE DOING A GOOD JOB THUS FAR ? FAR ? WELL, THE FLORIDA GOVERNOR IS WELL, THE FLORIDA GOVERNOR IS REALLY FRAMING HIMSELF REALLY FRAMING HIMSELF AS SOMEONE WHO CAN ACCOMPLISH AS SOMEONE WHO CAN ACCOMPLISH THE AGENDA ITEMS THAT ARE THE AGENDA ITEMS THAT ARE ON THE GOP VOTERS WISH LIST. ON THE GOP VOTERS WISH LIST. AND SO HE'S USING SOME OF WHAT AND SO HE'S USING SOME OF WHAT HE'S BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH IN HE'S BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH IN FLORIDA. FLORIDA. HE'S BEEN POINTING TO HIS HE'S BEEN POINTING TO HIS LANDSLIDE VICTORY IN HIS LANDSLIDE VICTORY IN HIS REELECTION EFFORT THERE. REELECTION EFFORT THERE. HE'S ALSO BEEN POINTING TO SOME HE'S ALSO BEEN POINTING TO SOME OF THE LEGISLATION THAT OF THE LEGISLATION THAT THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PASS IN THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PASS IN FLORIDA WITH THAT GOP FLORIDA WITH THAT GOP SUPERMAJORITY. SUPERMAJORITY. HE'S TALKING ABOUT SOME OF HE'S TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THE CONTROVERSIAL LEGISLATION THE CONTROVERSIAL LEGISLATION AROUND THINGS LIKE DIVERSITY, AROUND THINGS LIKE DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION, EFFORTS EQUITY, AND INCLUSION, EFFORTS OF PUTTING RESTRICTIONS OF PUTTING RESTRICTIONS ON THE DISCUSSION OF THE LGBT ON THE DISCUSSION OF THE LGBT COMMUNITY OF BLACK HISTORY. COMMUNITY OF BLACK HISTORY. HE'S EVEN BEEN SPEAKING HE'S EVEN BEEN SPEAKING AND POINTING TO SOME OF AND POINTING TO SOME OF THE LEGISLATION THAT THEY HAVE THE LEGISLATION THAT THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PASS IN FLORIDA BEEN ABLE TO PASS IN FLORIDA AS IT REGARDS TO MIGRANTS AS IT REGARDS TO MIGRANTS AND THAT THAT'S LEGISLATION AND THAT THAT'S LEGISLATION THAT SOME ADVOCATES WILL CALL THAT SOME ADVOCATES WILL CALL A DECIDEDLY ANTI-IMMIGRANT. A DECIDEDLY ANTI-IMMIGRANT. SO HE IS REALLY POINTING SO HE IS REALLY POINTING TO THAT. TO THAT. AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO BE A VERY IS GOING TO BE A VERY ATTRACTIVE FOR SOME GOP VOTERS. ATTRACTIVE FOR SOME GOP VOTERS. >> AND HE'S COME OUT SLUGGING >> AND HE'S COME OUT SLUGGING AGAINST DONALD TRUMP , AS HAVE AGAINST DONALD TRUMP , AS HAVE THE SOME OF THE OTHER THE SOME OF THE OTHER CANDIDATES, SOME MORE GENTLY CANDIDATES, SOME MORE GENTLY THAN THE OTHERS. THAN THE OTHERS. BUT THAT'S REALLY THE GAME IN BUT THAT'S REALLY THE GAME IN THIS PRIMARY. THIS PRIMARY. ISN'T IT? ISN'T IT? HOW DO YOU PEEL OFF HOW DO YOU PEEL OFF REPUBLICAN VOTERS, YOU KNOW, REPUBLICAN VOTERS, YOU KNOW, WHO STILL IF THEY'RE STANDING WHO STILL IF THEY'RE STANDING IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS, IF IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS, IF AVENUE AND TRUMP SHOOTS AVENUE AND TRUMP SHOOTS SOMEBODY, THEY'LL STICK SOMEBODY, THEY'LL STICK WITH HIM. WITH HIM. HOW ARE THEY GOING TO BASICALLY HOW ARE THEY GOING TO BASICALLY TRUMP FAUCI THE REPUBLICAN TRUMP FAUCI THE REPUBLICAN PARTY? PARTY? >> IS IT POSSIBLE EVEN. >> IS IT POSSIBLE EVEN. RIGHT. RIGHT. THAT IS SOMETHING THAT'S GOING THAT IS SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO BE VERY DIFFICULT FOR TO BE VERY DIFFICULT FOR SOME OF THESE CANDIDATES. SOME OF THESE CANDIDATES. THEY HAVE TO NAVIGATE THIS THEY HAVE TO NAVIGATE THIS ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH THIS ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH THIS REPUBLICAN PARTY FOR MANY IN REPUBLICAN PARTY FOR MANY IN THIS REPUBLICAN PARTY, THIS REPUBLICAN PARTY, THE SUPPORT OF AN ALLEGIANCE THE SUPPORT OF AN ALLEGIANCE TO A FORMER PRESIDENT , DONALD TO A FORMER PRESIDENT , DONALD TRUMP , IS A LITMUS TEST OF TRUMP , IS A LITMUS TEST OF SORTS. SORTS. AND DONALD TRUMP REALLY ENJOYS AND DONALD TRUMP REALLY ENJOYS THE FACT THAT HE FAR OUTPACES THE FACT THAT HE FAR OUTPACES MANY OF HIS MANY OF HIS REPUBLICAN CONTENDERS IN THIS REPUBLICAN CONTENDERS IN THIS RACE. RACE. AND WE'VE SEEN HIM COME OUT AND WE'VE SEEN HIM COME OUT AND SWING DIRECTLY AT FLORIDA AND SWING DIRECTLY AT FLORIDA GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS. GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS. HE HAS REALLY TAKEN MOST OF HE HAS REALLY TAKEN MOST OF TRUMP'S IRE AT THIS POINT. TRUMP'S IRE AT THIS POINT. AND SO IT'S STILL EARLY. AND SO IT'S STILL EARLY. IT'S ANYONE'S