Both Donald Trump and Mike Pence were scheduled to speak at next week’s Georgia GOP convention, but according to a statement released on Wednesday, the former vice president has withdrawn from the event.

In an email to delegates, party chair David Shafer said Pence canceled “because of a televised national town hall at which he will be making an announcement regarding his future plans.”

The Atlanta Journal Constitution’s Greg Bluestein reports that former Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake will now be the keynote speaker on June 9 at start of the two-day event.

“Lake, who has refused to concede her 2022 defeat, is a favorite of Trump loyalists and her marquee speech is a sign the convention is wading deeper into MAGA waters,” Bluestein writes.

The appearances by Pence and Trump had been highly anticipated by national Republicans, Bluestein adds, “amid a broader tug-of-war over the GOP’s direction ahead of the 2024 race.” Read more here.

In other 2024 news, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie announced on Wednesday that he is expected to launch a Republican presidential campaign next week in New Hampshire.

According to The Associated Press, Christie is planning to make the announcement at a town hall Tuesday evening at Saint Anselm College’s New Hampshire Institute of Politics. The AP’s Jill Colvin explained that their source is someone familiar with Christie’s thinking “who spoke on condition of anonymity to confirm Christie’s plans.”

Colvin added that the timing, “which was first reported by Axios, comes after several longtime Christie advisers started a super political action committee to support his expected candidacy.”

The Associated Press had previously reported that Christie was expected to enter the race “imminently.”

The AJC and The AP both contributed to this story.

©2023 Cox Media Group