Republican Mike Pence withdraws from US presidential race

Former vice president Mike Pence announced Saturday that he is withdrawing from the US presidential race, saying, "this is not my time."

Speaking at the annual meeting of the Republican Jewish Coalition in Las Vegas, Pence -- the first major 2024 candidate to suspend his campaign, said: "It's become clear to me: this is not my time."

"After much prayer and consideration, I have decided to suspend my campaign for president."

Pence, along with most of his rivals seeking to be the Republican Party's nominee for next year's White House race, never gained momentum in a contest overwhelmingly dominated by former president Donald Trump.

The New York billionaire has overcome scandals and two impeachments and is currently battling multiple criminal prosecutions, yet retains fervent support from the party faithful.

Pence's surprise exit marks a key moment in the campaign, underscoring the difficulty for even Trump's loyal lieutenant in overcoming his former boss in the race to see who challenges Democratic President Joe Biden.

Pence, an establishment figure, ultimately refused to play along when tasked with overturning the results of the 2020 election that Trump falsely claimed to have won -- immediately becoming an object of scorn for Trump's followers.