Pence announcement, rips Trump and steals DeSantis' campaign slogan.

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He called for restoring a 'threshold of civility' in the nation, and described his ceremonial role of counting electoral votes certified by states.

'I understand the disappointment many still feel at the outcome of the 2020 election … but I had no right to overturn the election. And Kamala Harris will have no right to overturn the election when we beat them in 2024,' Pence said in an applause line.

But Pence also sought to run on the Trump legacy, as the man who demanded his loyalty on January 6 maintains the lion's share in opinion polling for the Republican nomination.

'I was proud to stand by President Donald Trump every single day when we made America great again,' Pence said in his speech.

He also took a shot at rival Ron DeSantis for calling Russia's war on Ukraine a 'territorial dispute,' then appeared to swipe the Florida governor's slogan when he called for a 'great American comeback.'

'I get why people make big announcements back home, their hometown, at their resort, even on Twitter. But we wanted to be here, in person, in Iowa. We are here because we know that Iowa was the right place to start our engines for the great American comeback,' Pence said.

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