When Vice President Mike Pence brought on veteran Republican political operative Nick Ayers as his new chief of staff last month, about the time President Trump replaced Reince Priebus with new White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, few people noticed. But The New York Times did, and Pence's Ayers hire was one of the data points the newspaper used to build a case that Pence is the leading "shadow candidate" lining up to replace Trump in 2020, along with Pence forming his own PAC, schmoozing with big-money political donors, and speaking at key conservative events. Pence dismissed the suggestion as "laughable and absurd."
The "sharp-elbowed" Ayers, 34, is a departure from the chief of staff he replaced, "Josh Pitcock, the long-serving Pence aide distinguished by his quiet and inoffensive manner," Politico's Eliana Johnson reported Tuesday night. And he is finally making Pence a power player in the warring Trump White House. But Pence still plans on being a team player, Johnson adds:
Ayers' hire, according to interviews with eight current and former administration officials, was less about a secret campaign to challenge Trump in 2020 and more about helping the vice president — who, at just 58, has a political future ahead of him in the post-Trump era — preserve his future political options, whatever they may be. A veteran political operative, Ayers had for months been quietly warning the vice president that Trump's troubles could cause collateral damage and that he needed to take a more aggressive posture on a range of issues to ensure he enters the post-Trump era on solid ground. [Politico]
Ayers was the liaison between Trump's and Pence's camps during the campaign, and is well-liked by Trump and his inner circle, Politico reports, adding that he didn't join the White House earlier because of "a long-running feud with Priebus."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"Few believe there's a conceivable chance that Pence — whose loyalty to Trump has at times bordered on obsequiousness — would launch a primary campaign against him in 2020," Johnson says. "But there's little doubt the 58-year-old vice president harbors ambitions for a political future after Trump," and "Ayers is around to ensure that if Trump is out of the picture for one reason or another his man will be ready." You can read more about Pence's real power play at Politico.
-
Nepal chooses toddler as its new ‘living goddess’Under the Radar Girls between two and four are typically chosen to live inside the temple as the Kumari – until puberty strikes
-
October 5 editorial cartoonsCartoons Sunday's political cartoons include half-truth hucksters, Capitol lockdown, and more
-
Jaguar Land Rover’s cyber bailoutTalking Point Should the government do more to protect business from the ‘cyber shockwave’?
-
Museum head ousted after Trump sword gift denialSpeed Read Todd Arrington, who led the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum, denied the Trump administration a sword from the collection as a gift for King Charles
-
Trump declares ‘armed conflict’ with drug cartelsspeed read This provides a legal justification for recent lethal military strikes on three alleged drug trafficking boats
-
Supreme Court rules for Fed’s Cook in Trump feudSpeed Read Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook can remain in her role following Trump’s attempts to oust her
-
Judge rules Trump illegally targeted Gaza protestersSpeed Read The Trump administration’s push to arrest and deport international students for supporting Palestine is deemed illegal
-
Trump: US cities should be military ‘training grounds’Speed Read In a hastily assembled summit, Trump said he wants the military to fight the ‘enemy within’ the US
-
US government shuts down amid health care standoffSpeed Read Democrats said they won’t vote for a deal that doesn’t renew Affordable Care Act health care subsidies
-
YouTube to pay Trump $22M over Jan. 6 expulsionSpeed Read The president accused the company of censorship following the suspension of accounts post-Capitol riot
-
Oregon sues to stop Trump military deploymentSpeed Read The president wants to send the National Guard into Portland
