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Then-Vice President Mike Pence speaks to the NRA in 2018. Pence has avoided cattle calls over the past year where former President Donald Trump was speaking. | Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

INDIANAPOLIS Mike Pence is aiming to get to the right of Donald Trump on guns, bringing debates the two once had behind closed doors in the White House into the public eye.

The former vice president is slated to come on his Hoosier home turf for the National Rifle Associations annual leadership summit in Indianapolis Friday, during which he is expected to draw implicit contrasts with his former boss.

His speech, according to an adviser, is likely to address both the Nashville and Louisville mass shootings, talk about the importance of mental health facilities, train and supply armed officers at schools and embrace expediting the death penalty for perpetrators.

What Pence wont talk about, though, is perhaps more instructive: Championing red flag laws that give law enforcement officials the opportunity to intervene when a person is deemed as high-risk, as well as banning bump stocks. Those two issues were ones Trump was open to or acted upon during his administration. Pence advocated for red flag laws as vice president, but has since disavowed the idea, with his Advancing American Freedom group coming out against it in March 2022.

It will make for interesting political theater, said a Republican close to past such NRA proceedings who has met with both Trump and Pence on the issue of firearms, and was granted anonymity to discuss private conversations.

The reversal is part of an effort to paint Trump as unreliable on Second Amendment rights. And, indeed, when asked for comment, a Pence adviser sent a February 2018 Daily Mail item referencing Sen. Diane Feinsteins (D-Calif.) positive reaction to Trumps willingness to consider firearm restrictions: Feinstein cant contain her glee in gun control meeting with Trump.

That article detailed an infamous gathering of lawmakers following the Parkland, Fla. shooting. In an effort to further draw a distinction, a Pence ally said that in a subsequent 2018 Oval Office meeting, Pence talked Trump down from those restrictions. A person familiar with those discussions, who has not taken a position on the 2024 primary, confirmed the exchange.

Hes moving away from Trump, not toward him, said longtime Pence friend Mike Murphy, a former Republican member of the Indiana House of Representatives. He seems to be getting a little more confident in his own skin every day.

It is all part of a political tightrope Pence is walking ahead of what is expected to be his own campaign launch later this summer: How to articulate the rationale for his candidacy and distinguish himself from the man he served unflinchingly for four years.

The cattle call in front of rank-and-file NRA members amid what is advertised to be 14 acres of guns & gear this weekend will be the first time that both Pence and Trump have shared a stage since they left office. And it will be the first of a series of events ahead of the 2024 presidential primary where they will both be featured speakers. Pence and Trump are both addressing top RNC donors in Nashville this weekend. The two are unlikely to cross paths, a person familiar with the logistics of the event told POLITICO. And on both occasions, Trump will have the last word.

Theyll choreograph it, a person close to both Trump and Pence orbits said.

In addition, both will speak at the Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition spring kick off next week, although Trump will be giving his speech remotely.

The dueling appearances come amid an increasingly icy and unprecedented point in their relationship. Never before in American history has the sitting vice president challenged the former president of his own party.

Its not just a political conflict. Theyre also potentially at odds in the courts, too. Trump has appealed a federal courts decision to force Pence to testify to a grand jury investigating Trumps effort to subvert the 2020 election.

Trump appeared last year at the NRAs annual convention in Houston just days after the deadly Uvalde school shooting. In his speech, Trump called for overhaul of school security measures, including allowing only one entrance to schools and metal detectors, and he also emphasized the need for better mental health policies. Trump, like many Republicans, has said responsible gun owners are the best line of defense in mass shootings.

Trump is a member of the NRA, and his son, Donald Trump Jr., is gun sporting enthusiast who even formed his own gun rights group, the Second Amendment Task Force, that is focused on pushing back against Democrat gun control efforts. Pence, meanwhile, is known to hunt pheasant and quail.

The two havent talked for two years, and often use reporters as proxies to send messages to one another. I have debated Donald Trump before, Pence told Bret Baier last month. Just not with the cameras on.

Trump seems to have noted Pences new tone, telling reporters last month after Pence criticized Trump at the Gridiron Club Dinner over his role in Jan. 6: I guess he decided that being nice isnt working because hes at 3% in the polls, so he figured he might as well not be nice any longer.

Playing nice with Pence has been Trumps strategy of late. The former president has praised Pence when asked about him before noting his unhappiness with Pences decision to carry out his constitutional duties on Jan. 6. That is because Trump, according to advisers and people close to his campaign, believes a crowded field that includes Pence will only work to his benefit in the primaries.

Trumps team has so far brushed off Pences recent attacks and their upcoming shared stage.

Hes clearly not only the frontrunner of this election but hes also the head of the party and the fact that hes the featured speaker is proof of that, said a Trump adviser.

Ralph Reed, who knows both Pence and Trump well and whose organization, Faith and Freedom Coalition, is remaining neutral, compared the Pence-Trump dynamic to the Republican presidential battle in 1912 when two former collaborators, former president Theodore Roosevelt and incumbent President William Howard Taft, ran against each other.

Its two people who were very close who had a tremendous amount of affection for one another and were partners and now theyre running against each other and its going to be a very interesting dynamic to witness, Reed said. I tend to think that Pence will tend to take the high ground while being increasingly frank and transparent about his differences with his former boss. And I think theres a lot that will be litigated as a result of that assuming Pence gets in.

The tension surrounding Trump and Pence sharing two stages this weekend is heightened by the fact that few other 2024 hopefuls are appearing in person.

While Trump and Pence are jumping from state to state to make their case to gun enthusiasts and the partys top donors, DeSantis on Friday will speak at Liberty University encroaching on Pences territory with religious conservatives and headline a GOP dinner in New Hampshire on Saturday. Scott is holding his own donor retreat this weekend in Charleston, and Haley is attending her daughters wedding.

Pence has avoided other cattle calls over the past year where Trump was speaking. For instance, Pence has skipped out on multiple recent CPAC gatherings a stage where he was booed the last time he attended but he also stayed away from last years Faith & Freedom Coalition conference in Nashville, where Trump took the stage. His decision to sit out an event catering to an evangelical audience highlighted Pences reticence at the time to take on Trump in a public manner.

Not so, anymore. But it may be too little too late.

I dont think theres much interest in the story of Trump versus Pence at all anymore, said Mike Dennehy, a Republican strategist in New Hampshire who worked on John McCains presidential campaigns. I would be surprised if Donald Trump even takes a whack at Mike Pence. The only person on Trumps radar right now is Ron DeSantis and frankly, hes the only candidate who should be.

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The Pence-Trump divide deepens, this time over guns - POLITICO

INDIANAPOLIS Former Vice President Mike Pence was booed in his home state Friday as he spoke to the National Rifle Association's annual meeting here.

Pence, a former Indiana governor who is considering a presidential bid, took the stage to a mix of lusty boos and generous applause. The split reaction underscored part of the challenge Pence would face in a campaign for the GOP nomination in 2024: He enraged then-President Donald Trump, and some of the Republican base, by certifying President Joe Biden's election on Jan. 6, 2021.

At the time, Pence cited his constitutional duty to oversee the official count of electoral votes in Congress, even as Trump demanded that he stand in the way. Trump supporters, some of them chanting "Hang Mike Pence," rushed the U.S. Capitol that day and came close to where Pence sheltered with Secret Service agents.

During his remarks Friday, Pence earned cheers for his call to fight efforts to restrict gun rights.

"We don't need gun control," he said. "We need crime control." And he repeatedly urged NRA members to "stand your ground."

But as Pence left the stage, he did so to another round of cacophony, with some Trump die-hards booing him and many in the crowd standing to applaud him.

Pence was governor of Indiana from 2013 to 2017, when he became vice president, and previously represented the state in the House.

Later in the day, Trump spoke and noted the reception Pence received.

"I heard it was very rough," he said.

Jonathan Allen is asenior national politics reporter for NBC News, based in Washington.

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Mike Pence is booed at the NRA convention in his home state - NBC News

Former Vice President Mike Pence has voiced a Save AM Radio PSA that is available for use by all radio stations. The PSA campaign is the brainchild of John Catsimatidis, Owner of Red Apple Media, which includes WABC New York (770), WLIR-FM Nassau-Suffolk, NY (107.1), and Red Apple Audio Networks.

At the NAB Show in Las Vegas this week, Catsimatidis met with members of the FCC and FEMA. At Catsimatidis request, Pence voiced a Save AM Radio PSA for WABC, which Catsimatidis is offering to the industry.

The automotive industry is doing a huge disservice to Americans by even considering the removal of AM radio from cars, Catsimatidis said in a release. They are putting the safety of Americans at peril by putting profits before people. Americans deserve better.

Ford, Volkswagen, BMW, Mazda, Volvo, and Tesla have all discontinued, or plan to eliminate, AM radio in certain vehicles. This encompasses EV and gas-powered autos in some cases. EV manufacturers have cited interference with AM radio reception due to electromagnetic frequencies from the electric motors.

I am urging all AM and FM radio stations, the NAB, the RAB, and state broadcast associations to band together and bring common sense to Ford and other auto manufacturers," Catsimatidis continued.

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Former VP Mike Pence Joins Battle To Save AM Radio In Autos. - Inside Radio

Former Vice President Mike Penceramped up his criticism of fellow Republicans at a GOP donor summit Friday night, trying to paint his would-be rivals as straying from party principles as he inches closer to an expected presidential run.

Speaking at a Republican National Committee donor summit in Nashville, Pence planned to criticize former President Donald Trump and others who have questioned the war in Ukraine and oppose entitlement reform and further curbs on abortion rights. He argued the party will be better served by candidates who espouse more traditional GOP views, according to excerpts shared by aides ahead of his remarks.

Its becoming clearer every day that the upcoming Republican primaries will not just be a contest of candidates but a conflict of visions, Pence was expected to tell donors. One vision grounded in traditional Republican principles, and another vision driven by the promise of winning at the expense of our highest ideals.

He said the partys route to victory rests on a well-worn path it has traveled for the better part of half a century, including support for strong national defense, limited government and traditional social values.

We will win if we run boldly as Republicans, he was expected to add. We will lose if we run away from that proven American agenda.

Pence is widely expected to launch a campaign for the White House in the coming weeks that will put him in direct competition with his former boss, who is the frontrunner for the GOP nomination.

Pence, who was a loyal lieutenant to Trump in the White House, has spent the years since he left office distancing himself from the former president. That has included criticizing Trumps actions on Jan. 6, 2021, when a mob of Trumps supporters violently stormed the Capitol building as Pence was presiding over the certification of President Joe Bidens win. Trump was furious with Pence for refusing to go along with his unconstitutional scheme to overturn the results, and the two have been at odds ever since.

In his speech at the retreat, Pence continued to tacitly criticize Trump as well as Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, another likely candidate, saying the party must resist the politics of personality and the lure of populism unmoored to timeless conservative values.

If 2022 taught us anything, its that candidates that were focused on the challenges facing American families did well. But candidates focused on the past, on litigating the last election, did not do well, he was expected to add. Elections are always about the future. To win in 2024, the Republican Party must be the party of the future.

The comments came hours afterboth men spoke at the National Rifle Associations annual conventionin Pences home state of Indiana, where Pence was greeted with a smattering of boos from the crowd. It was a reflection of lingering animosity from Trumps loyal base, which continues to harbor resentments over Pences handling of the 2020 election.

Trump, who will address the donor summit in Nashville Saturday, took a dig at Pence from the NRA stage, telling the crowd he hoped theyd given the former vice president a warm introduction. Still, he called Pence a nice and good man.

Pence, in his remarks, was expected to continued to criticize those in his party who have questioned U.S. support for Ukraine after Russias invasion. Joe Biden wants to cut defense spending. But for some reason, so do some prominent Republicans, he was expected to say.

DeSantis last monthwalked back his characterizationof the war as a territorial dispute following criticism from a number of fellow Republicans who expressed concern about the potential 2024 presidential candidates dismissive description of the conflict.

Pence was also expected to call out Trump for opposing reforms to Social Security and Medicare, such as increasing the age of qualification once a standard GOP talking point.

Sadly, our former president has echoed Bidens pledge not to touch Social Security. I think we owe my three granddaughters better, he was planning to say.

He was also expected to criticize those in his party who are shying away from further restrictions on abortion rights following a series of GOP losses.

On the heels of the biggest pro-life victory in history, too many Republicans want to run away from the cause that has animated our party for half a century, he was going to say, according to the excerpts.

Trump haswarned that the partyrisks fallout from tight abortion restrictions, while DeSantis late Thursdaysigned a 6-week ban into law.

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Pence: Candidates must run 'as Republicans' to win in 2024 - Spectrum News

Mike Pence, Ted Cruz and Ron DeSantis dressed in drag by AI.@RuPublicans/Midjourney, screengrabs from @RuPublicans

The "RuPublicans" Instagram account posts AI-generated pictures of GOP lawmakers in full drag.

The images range from Mike Pence in sparkly pink boots to Ron DeSantis in a big ball gown.

The duo behind the account told Insider they want to hit back at the "GOP's anti-drag rhetoric."

You've seen AI-generated art of the Pope in Balenciaga. Now get ready for Former Vice President Mike Pence, Gov. Ron DeSantis, and other GOP figures in full drag.

The images are the work of an Instagram account called "RuPublicans,"which uses AI to dress Republican lawmakers in drag complete with frills, feathers, jewels, and wigs. The account's name is a play on Republicans andRuPaul, a famous drag queen and television personality.

The AI images featureDeSantis in a bejeweled blue gown that would put Cinderella to shame and Pencewearing nothing but a bright pink blazer and glittery boots, paired with a fluffy feather boa.

Also seen on the account was Sen. Ted Cruzin pink feathers and bold winged eyelinerand Sen. Josh Hawleydecked out in a slinky golden dress,to name a few.

The captions are colorful, too.

"Cruzella Deville - Serving homophobic realness, she struts her stuff in fur coats lined with family values and defends every fetus and every gun, every day, heeeennnyyyy," read the account's caption on Cruz.

And on DeSantis, the caption read: "Rhonda Santy - Category is: Book Banning Princess Eleganza. She's on a mission to turn that Magic Kingdom into a Tragic Kingdom and isn't afraid to give Mickey the finger(s)."

Also featured in the AI art were other GOP figures like Sen. Lindsey Graham,pictured riding a fancy horse,and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell,in all-pink drag regalia.

The brains behind the account, married couple Craig, 37, and Stephen, 39, said the "GOP's anti-drag rhetoric and actions" inspired them to find a way to hit back.

"Drag artists have brought us joy and laughter, helped heal old wounds, and given us the permission to love ourselves," the couple told Insider in an email. Craig works in the education industry, while Stephen is a creative director in marketing and technology. They did not provide Insider with their last names for privacy reasons.

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"For the past two weeks, we have been creating and posting AI-generated art and captions that are just as over the top and ridiculous as the false narratives around drag," they said.

The duo said they used the AI image generator Midjourney to create the images.

"We don't always get what we want, but sometimes the AI generator gives us something we couldn't have imagined that blows us away, and we run with it," the couple said.

Their first post on "RuPublicans" was uploaded on March 30. Within two weeks, they have amassed a following of more than 139,000 people, at press time.

Several GOP lawmakers that the "RuPublicans" account called out have, in the past, pushed anti-trans messages.

In Florida, DeSantis istargeting drag queens, framing his crackdown on drag shows asa crusade to protect children.

Cruz has been vocal about his distaste for trans people. In 2021, Cruz introduced a bill thatblocked trans women from competing in women's sports.

In February,Pence railed against a school district's attempt to create safe spaces for students in the process of transitioning.

And at a Senate hearing on abortion rights in July,Hawley claimed that men cannot get pregnant, sparking a heated argument with a law professor who called his line of questioning transphobic.

Anti-trans laws are also being enacted nationwide. Oklahoma banned insurance coveragefor transgender care in February, and theSouth Carolina Senate passed a billto ban gender-affirming medical care for minors in March.

Craig and Stephen said the content they create is "pure fantasy," but "the fear the GOP is spreading and the legislation that they're trying to pass is the reality for so many people."

"Our hope is these images spark conversation and capture the hypocrisy of the GOP," they told Insider. "If it takes wigs, glitter, and fashion to do it, we're here for it."

Representatives of Pence, DeSantis, Graham, Cruz, Hawley, and McConnell did not immediately respond to Insider's requests for comment sent outside regular business hours.

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Mike Pence in pink boots, Ron DeSantis in a big ball gown. Here's how the 'RuPublicans' Instagram account uses AI art to call out GOP lawmakers by...