Speculation of Pence serving as Trump’s vice presidential running mate grew as the former six-term congressman and talk radio host was notably not included on the partial list of Republican National Convention speakers released Thursday. If, as expected, Trump picks Indiana Gov. Mike Pence (R) to be his running mate, Pence will have to drop out of his reelection race because Indiana law doesn’t let you run for two offices on one ballot. Trump was set to make his announcement at 11 a.m. Friday, but he postponed it in light of the terrorist attack in Nice, France.
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More broadly, the choice of Pence, 57, is already meeting with mixed reviews from both Trump’s fellow Republicans and his foes outside the GOP.
Check back for updates and read Saturday’s Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.
“Mike Pence comes from the heart of the conservative movement – and the heart of America”, said House Speaker Paul D, Ryan of Wisconsin. The person was not authorized to discuss the deliberations publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity.
CNN reported Thursday that Trump offered Pence the vice presidential slot, and that Pence accepted it.
But Trump delayed his plans for a vice-presidential announcement Thursday night after the truck attack in southern France.
According to the Republican familiar with the process, the frenetic day was made more complicated by the fact that Trump was in California for a series of fundraisers, isolated from almost all of his closest advisers, including his three adult children and his campaign chairman, Paul Manafort.
Manafort dismissed suggestions in an interview on Fox News Channel that Trump was having second thoughts about his choice.
“It’s down to three”, the younger Trump said.
Donald Trump’s apparent selection of Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as his running mate could help the presumptive GOP nominee win the support of skeptical conservatives.
The US media projected that Trump’s choice was part of his bid to add political experience.
Selecting Mr. Pence, by contrast, might ease relations between Mr. Trump and Republicans in Washington, where party leaders have eyed his every move with grave apprehension. He served six terms in Congress before becoming in governor. Pence, meanwhile, previous year signed a controversial religious freedom bill that critics said initially didn’t extend legal protections to the LGBT community.
Others used the news as an opportunity to re-post a cringeworthy video showing The Donald telling Christie to “get on the plane and go home”. He’s up against a clock: The Republican convention kicks off in Cleveland Monday.
There’s no word yet on when Trump’s announcement will be rescheduled.
Trump is also choosing a running mate who has been at odds with him on numerous policy positions. She also gave the keynote address at the sold-out Indiana Republican Party fall dinner last October on behalf of Pence’s re-election campaign.
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He’s seen as a safe political option for Trump, but Pence made clear this week that he’s more than willing to play the role of attack dog, strongly criticizing Hillary Clinton during a rally with Trump.
