Former V.P. Mike Pence stakes claim as fiercest pro-life candidate in potential 2024 Republican presidential race

Mike Pence wants to be the most pro-life candidate in the 2024 sweepstakes.

The former vice president loudly and proudly cheered last week’s Supreme Court ruling that rolled back the landmark Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion.

While former President Trump has reportedly privately fretted that the anti-abortion decision could backfire at the polls, Pence reminded Republicans that he wants to push to ban abortion nationwide.

“We must not rest and must not relent until the sanctity of life is restored to the center of American law in every state in the land,” Pence said.

Pence has long been a proud true believer in the pro-life Christian conservative movement, and sees the abortion debate as a defining feature of his political pitch.

[ Pro-Trump lawmaker calls Supreme Court abortion ruling victory for ‘white life’ ]

That sets him apart from both Trump, who was a pro-choice liberal for years before deciding to run for president, and even Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, who faces a reelection battle this fall in swing-state Florida.

After the Supreme Court decision, Trump took credit for appointing three of the justices who engineered the huge flip. But behind closed doors, Trump reportedly worries that repealing Roe could energize pro-choice women.

[ EXPLAINER: What does Supreme Court abortion ruling mean for New Yorkers? ]

DeSantis, who is widely considered the strongest GOP candidate after Trump, likewise cheered the repeal of Roe.

The Florida governor vowed to defend a new state law that permits abortion only after 15 weeks of pregnancy, earlier than the previous 24-week rule.

But DeSantis did not declare any effort to ban abortion altogether.

Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R-Ark.), another pro-life presidential contender, said he would prefer to leave the abortion fight to the individual states.

Pence has no such concerns. He will be a key player pushing for a nationwide ban on abortion, which will be a key legislative on the table if Republicans retake Congress in the midterm elections this November.