In a better and more ordered world, Mike Pence would be the automatic frontrunner in the Republican presidential primary.

The former vice president is everything that, at least once upon a time, one would look for in a Republican presidential candidate. His conservatism is unquestioned, across the board, and intellectually rigorous, and he presents it well and thoughtfully, not like a coked-up angry drunk. All of this separates him considerably from the current presumed front-runner, his former boss Donald Trump.

Pence’s experience and qualifications for the office are unmatched. A dozen years in the House of Representatives, followed by four as governor of Indiana would be enough to qualify him, but he adds to that four years as vice president, invaluable job experience no other candidate can claim.

And he was arguably the best VP the U.S. ever had. Not only did he spend those four years quietly and competently providing some much-needed direction to an oftentimes rudderless administration – one suspects he spent an inordinate amount of time shaking his head forlornly wondering why the hell he agreed to this – but he was, unsurprisingly, the force behind the best successes of the chaotic Trump presidency. But what really made him possibly the greatest VP in America’s history was his selfless patriotism on Jan. 6, 2021.

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The post of Vice President of the United States generally requires very little – aside, of course, from being ready to assume the role of head of state of the world’s most influential nation, become commander-in-chief of its military, and the de facto leader of what we used to call the Free World, in an instant. But in practical and relative terms, the job itself is not very (publicly) demanding, nor does it call upon its holder to really do very much beyond the ceremonial, or in some cases serve as the eminence grise.

Until, in a moment, it does. That moment came for VP Pence on Jan. 6, 2021, when he proved up to the task he was given, and fulfilled, immaculately, his constitutional duty and refused to go along with Trump’s cockamamie theory about American election laws and peaceful transfer of power in the United States.

His reward for years of faithful service to the president, the Constitution, and his country? Being subjected to a relentless barrage of animadversions from his former boss, many echoed by Trump supporters, which piled on top of the ones that had been hurled at him for years from the left.

Pence entered the race this week amid speculation as to how much or how little he would make of the rift between himself and Trump. He made the right decision, putting the speculation to rest during his announcement by taking on Trump head on. Referring to Jan. 6, 2021 he said, “I chose the Constitution and I always will.” Just so. He went on to say, “I believe that anyone who puts themselves over the Constitution should never be president of the United States. And anyone who asks someone else to put themselves over the Constitution should never be president again.” He added, “we must resist the politics of personality and the siren song of populism unmoored to conservative principles.” That should be adopted as the Republican Party motto, printed on every GOP document from now until eternity.

He didn’t neglect President Joe Biden in his criticism either, pointing out the current president has presided over historically grievous inflation, a chaotic border situation, rampant crime and a disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan that will continue to haunt American foreign affairs for years to come. He told the crowd in Iowa, “we are better than this.” Amen.

Policy wise, Pence has much to recommend him. He is a fiscal conservative of the old school, notably unafraid to take on entitlement spending, which he recognizes as the driver behind our existentially unsustainable national debt. He is a realist hawk in foreign policy, recognizing the threats posed by both China and Russia, as well as the smaller and irritating, but still dangerous, actors. On Ukraine he is not ambivalent as to America’s duty to support that beleaguered country in the face of Russian aggression. On both major issues – entitlements and Ukraine – Pence is stronger than all three current front-runners, Trump, Biden, and, for now at least, even Ron DeSantis. Pence would not, for instance, be congratulating Kim Jong Un for North Korea’s admission to the WHO Executive Board, as Trump did this week.

For all this, Pence remains a long shot. Yes, in a better and more ordered world he would be the front-runner. But we don’t live in a better and more ordered world. The most important thing for the GOP – and the USA – is for Trump to not get the nomination. If Pence is the candidate to beat Trump, then he’s the guy. If not, he needs to again do his patriotic duty and bow out, offering his full support to the candidate who is.

Kelly Sloan is a political and public affairs consultant and a recovering journalist based in Denver.