“Let’s come together as a party, as a people, as a movement, to make America great again and that day begins when Donald Trump becomes the 45th president of the United States of America”, Mr Pence said.
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Pence touted Trump’s pledges to repeal Obamacare, revive the coal industry and toughen the nation’s immigration policy.
Trump had spent weeks vetting vice-presidential contenders, including former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, and only zeroed in on Pence in recent days. Where Trump makes conservatives suspicious, Pence has credibility. He segued from that success to what he described as Indiana’s strong performance under Pence’s leadership.
Rolling out Pence as his vice presidential mate, Trump said in the Indiana Governor he has “found the leader” who will help deliver a safe society and a really prosperous society for all Americans. While presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton’s logo has been praised by many designers, it prompted intra-party grousing a year ago.
Donald Trump says his selection of Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as his running mate is one that will help him restore manufacturing jobs nationwide and protect religious freedom.
The theme music from the movie “Air Force One” blared over loudspeakers as a plane carrying Pence pulled up to a hangar at a suburban Indianapolis airport, mirroring Trump’s trademark campaign rally entrance.
“Back to Mike Pence”, Trump said, interrupting himself during a lengthy explanation about why evangelical voters support his candidacy.
In those moments, Trump described Pence as his “partner” and his “first choice”, despite media reports that the presumptive Republican nominee was uneasy with the selection. “And one of the reasons is party unity, so many people have said, party unity”. Pence also endorsed Sen.
Trump calls Indiana Gov. Mike Pence “a solid, solid person” and is contrasting his character to what he deemed “the corruption of Hillary Clinton”, his likely Democratic opponent in the fall election.
On Thursday, Trump had convened a midnight campaign conference call about his pick, even after he’d had Pence fly to NY to accept his offer.
Trump and Pence made their debut just two days before the beginning of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, where delegates from around the country will convene to officially nominate the pair as their party’s ticket for the November 8 election.
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, left, greets Gov. Mike Pence, R-Ind., during a campaign event to announce Pence as the vice presidential running mate on, Saturday, July 16, 2016, in NY, calling him “my partner in this campaign” and his first and best choice to join him on a winning Republican presidential ticket. While Trump showcases his choice, Democrat Hillary Clinton’s team is already painting Pence’s conservative social viewpoints as out of step with the mainstream.
The billionaire businessman strode first onto the stage that featured a backdrop of 10 American flags.
Pence spoke to the crowd from a podium with no campaign sign attached and for just a few minutes.
The quadrennial rally is created to bring Republicans together, formally select a presidential nominee and catapult the party towards November’s election. As the video ends, the words on the screen read, “Donald Trump. Always Divisive. Not so Decisive”.
Paul Manafort, Trump’s campaign chairman, strongly rejected suggestions that the candidate considered changing his mind about Pence.
When he did get round to talking about the man he hopes will boost his popularity among wavering Republicans, Mr Trump resorted to his notes, praising Mr Pence’s track record as a congressman and governor of IN and describing him as a “solid, solid person”. The event originally had been scheduled for a smaller space Friday, but Trump postponed the announcement, saying it was out of respect for the tragedy in Nice, France.
Fintz, who recently registered as a Republican after being a life-long independent, said Pence would not have been his choice.
Trump referred to the two men as “the law-and-order candidates”, adding that “we’re the law-and-order party”.
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The Northeast might not be the most fertile ground for Republican candidates for national office, but New York, New Jersey and CT will be front-and-center at next week’s Republican National Convention.
