FORMER US VICE-PRESIDENT, MIKE PENCE, HAS OFFICIALLY FILED PAPERWORK TO JOIN AN INCREASINGLY CROWDED FIELD OF REPUBLICANS RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT.

MR PENCE, WHO IS 63 YEARS OLD, IS SET TO FORMALLY LAUNCH HIS CAMPAIGN WITH A VIDEO, SPEECH AND TOWNHALL EVENT IN THE EARLY VOTING STATE OF IOWA, LATER TODAY.

THE MOVE PITS HIM AGAINST DONALD TRUMP, THE MAN HE SERVED IN THE WHITE HOUSE FOR FOUR YEARS FROM 2017 TO 2021.

THE FORMER PRESIDENT IS ALSO CURRENTLY POLLING WELL AHEAD IN THE RACE.

MOST OPINION POLLS SHOW MR PENCE IN A DISTANT THIRD PLACE, WITH SUPPORT IN THE LOW SINGLE DIGITS.