'I've got no beef with him': GOP opponents say Pence did right thing on Jan. 6, 2021

Former Vice President Mike Pence got some support at Wednesday night's GOP presidential debate for the issue that has been the biggest anchor on his candidacy: his refusal to interfere in the congressional counting of electoral college votes as Donald Trump wanted.

Asked if Pence did the right thing on Jan. 6, 2021, other candidates at the party's first primary debate said he did – though it took longer for some to get there than others.

After Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis tried to dodge the question, Pence said the American people deserve to know if everyone on stage agrees "that I kept my oath to the Constitution that day."

“Answer the question,” Pence said.

“Mike did his duty,” DeSantis responded. “I’ve got no beef with him.”

South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott said Pence "absolutely" did the right thing. But Scott tried to quickly pivot to the "bigger question" of what he said was the "weaponization" of the Justice Department.

Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley agreed that Pence deserved credit for what he did. But when it comes to whether Trump should serve again, she added, "I trust the American people."

"Let them vote. Let them decide," she said.

Pence got the strongest backing from former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who said the former vice president stood up for the Constitution and deserves thanks, “not grudging credit.”

A key element of both the federal and state criminal indictments brought against Trump this month is the former president’s efforts to pressure his vice president to overturn the results of the 2020 election.

Trump, the GOP frontrunner who did not participate in the debate, has said he did nothing wrong.

Most of the candidates, including Pence, said they would still support Trump even if he is convicted of crimes and still wins the Republican nomination.

Pence’s campaign pitch is centered, in large part, on his character and always following the two guidebooks he kept on his desk as vice president: the Bible and the Constitution.

But he has been heckled as a "traitor" on the campaign trail and polls in the early voting states of Iowa and New Hampshire show many Republicans have a negative view of him.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: GOP debate: Rivals say Mike Pence did the right thing on Jan. 6