Mike Pence tours Iowa state fair in search of votes – but who is his candidacy aimed at?

Few think the former VP can win the Republican nomination. One analyst says he may only want to rehabilitate his image

Mike Pence and wife Karen strolled through the Iowa state fair, their little fingers locked together, as soap bubbles drifted by and chairlifts trundled overhead. The couple donned red aprons - his said Vice President Mike Pence" - and flipped pork chops on a giant grill while smiling for photographers.

Then, with a bead of sweat rolling down his forehead and settling on his cheek on a hot August day, Pence told reporters that he was the most qualified candidate" and most consistent conservative in the field" for the Republican nomination for US president in 2024.