On Friday, Trump will hold an event to showcase his vice presidential choice.
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The breakfast meeting was a sign that Pence, the former House Republican leader who is well regarded by conservatives and establishment Republicans, remains a leading contender to be Trump’s running mate.
Ernst, 46, has met with Trump, but she told Politico in July she was committed to Iowa and the Senate, a comment interpreted by many as a way to say she was not interested in being Trump’s running mate.
“The governor has said on many occasions that it’s an honor to have his name in this discussion, but really his focus remains on serving Hoosiers as the governor of in”, his deputy campaign manager Marc Lotter told AFP.
And even if Pence is not selected, he may see a close association with Trump as beneficial to his gubernatorial re-election effort in a Republican-leaning state whose voters sealed Trump’s status as the presumptive GOP nominee.
Trump on Wednesday morning had breakfast at the Indiana Governor’s Mansion with Pence.
The crowd didn’t get their VP announcement, but Trump isn’t ruling Pence out either. Jeff Sessions was at 19 to 1. He also impressed Trump by destroying senator Marco Rubio in a New Hampshire debate – a move that played to Trump’s benefit ultimately.
Gingrich predicted the pick would come Wednesday or Thursday, telling Fox News, “It’s a little bit like ‘The Apprentice.’ You find out sooner or later who the last one standing is”.
Campaign sources told ABC News that Donald Jr., Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner are joining Trump and Indiana Gov. Mike Pence at Pence’s home in Indiana Wednesday morning.
“You’re gonna call him … and you’re gonna say governor – or vice president – we’re winning too much!”
If the governor is the pick and if Trump does win in November, then Pence naturally steps into the role of ambassador to Congress. Pence is only four years removed from 12 years on Capitol Hill, and he still has many friends in Congress, especially in the Republican caucuses. Pence was praised by Trump during his speech in IN on Tuesday.
“He has a particularly strong talent, a gift if you will, for being able to stick to principle while making his political opponents or those who disagree with him feel like they are being heard and respected”, said Ryan Streeter, a former Pence aide and George W. Bush staffer who is now a public affairs professor at the University of Texas at Austin. “I couldn’t believe it when I saw it”, Trump continued.
“Donald Trump gets it, he’s a success on Wall Street but never turned his back on Main Street”, said Pence.
Pence isn’t the only possible vice presidential pick who Trump has dropped hints about.
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Asked if he is open to being her running mate, Sanders said, “I doubt that will happen”. “I don’t know whether he’s going to be your governor or your vice president, who the hell knows?” Former Trump adviser Michael Caputo said Pence fit that bill. “And I’ll just always be grateful for the time that we had”.
