“Mike Pence would bring a wealth of experience to the ticket, in terms of governance and legislative processes”, said Steve Yates, chairman of the Idaho GOP.
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Pence said the criticism was based on a “great misunderstanding”, but he ultimately worked with lawmakers – earning some criticism from the right – to pull back on some of the law’s more divisive components.
Pence is also seen as having a cool-headed tone and steady hand that could counter the impulsive, often brash Trump, and his social conservatism could allay fears about Trump’s views on issues such as abortion. But shortly after Pence arrived, Trump abruptly said he was postponing an announcement because of the deadly attack in Nice, France, that left more than 80 people dead. Pence called Trump’s statements “inappropriate”. He will appear with Pence at a press conference Saturday at 11 a.m. The announcement delay created a complication for Pence.
For that kind of appeal, Trump will have to rely on other surrogates – including those like South Carolina’s Gov. Nikki Haley or Sen. Still, many critics of the law said the change wasn’t enough.
Republican Donald Trump’s choice of Indiana Governor Mike Pence as his vice presidential running mate on Friday helped bolster support among some conservatives skeptical about his policies, a crucial step as he prepares to accept the party’s nomination next week.
Decades before he was a prominent Republican public figure, Pence reportedly was a Democrat who idolized former President John F. Kennedy.
Some prominent Republicans decided not to enter the race, including House Speaker Brian Bosma and Evansville Mayor Lloyd Winnecke.
The first-term Republican governor was seeking re-election.
White House spokesman Josh Earnest tried on Thursday to cheekily poke at Pence’s support on the right, telling reporters that Pence “did important work with the administration to expand Medicaid in his state” under the Affordable Care Act.
Pence had been in a tight re-election bid for governor and faced a Friday deadline to withdraw from that race in order to run for vice president instead. On Thursday, several news outlets reported that sources within both the Trump and Pence camps confirmed that he had bested former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie for the role.
National media has not closely scrutinized Pence, so we won’t know yet what they and the Hillary Clinton campaign might turn up on him. He hasn’t yet put up a spot appealing to November voters, and groups supporting him have been similarly silent.
Her Republican opponent, Donald Trump, calls her “crooked” at virtually every campaign appearance. The Republican State Committee will have 30 days to choose his replacement.
Foes say they believe the movement is essentially finished.
I am pleased to announce that I have chosen Governor Mike Pence as my Vice Presidential running mate. That Republican also spoke on condition of anonymity, because the person was not authorized to publicly discuss the conversation.
When news of the terrorist attack in Nice broke, Trump used it as an excuse to buy more time.
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Trump said in television interviews Thursday night that he hadn’t yet settled on a “final, final” choice – leaving open the possibility that Trump could change his mind.
