US presumptive Republican Presidential nominee Donald Trump announced on Friday he had chosen Indiana Governor Mike Pence as his running mate.
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Trump’s announcement comes three days before the Republican National Convention opens in Cleveland, Ohio, where Trump will officially become the party’s presidential nominee. His Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, said the USA needs to “stand strongly” with France and strengthen the coalition against terrorism.
Pence would have the backing of GOP leaders and ease some of their concerns about Trump’s political inexperience and volatile temperament. The billionaire’s freewheeling, impulsive style and unorthodox policy positions has alienated many in his party.
Pence would be a reliably conservative No. 2 with a calm demeanor and deep ties to Washington.
The pick of Pence as running mate came as Trump was scrambling to solidify the Republican base and win support from social conservatives. He’s well-regarded by evangelical Christians, particularly after signing a law that critics said would allow businesses to deny service to gay people for religious reasons. But his hard-line ideology is also at odds with Trump, who has largely avoided discussion of social issues. Yet he chose Pence. The governor has been a longtime advocate of trade deals such as NAFTA and the Trans Pacific Partnership, both of which Trump aggressively opposes. Before being given the vice-presidential nod by Trump, Pence had called the proposed ban “offensive and unconstitutional”. He also endorsed Sen.
Adelson’s affection for Pence was underscored when the Republican Jewish Coalition, a conservative pro-Israel advocacy group that Adelson has always been the leading financier of, quickly put out a statement on Friday hailing Pence’s addition to the ticket and calling him a “critical leader and important voice regarding Israel” both as Indiana’s governor and during several terms he served in the House as an in congressman. For Pence, a different decision loomed: to continue his re-election bid in IN or bow out of the race to join Trump if invited.
As The Washington Post reported, the campaign had been giving mixed messages on Trump’s veep situation throughout Thursday. Trump was in California for fundraisers, separated from his closest aides, and was fuming about leaks that were viewed as an attempt to pressure him into the decision.
“And if it is possible to not actually pick Mike Pence, and this is after he offered the job to Mike Pence, and they flew him to NY, and they had him sitting in a hotel room, and in Manhattan thinking that he is going to be the vice presidential pick”.
A few hours later, a huge truck barreled through a crowded holiday celebration in Nice, France. But Manafort dismissed suggestions in an interview on Fox News Channel that Trump was having second thoughts about his choice.
In the end, Trump made his announcement on Friday anyway, on Twitter. State law prohibits candidates from being on the ballot in two races. “Never waffled once he made his decision”, Manafort wrote in an email.
After spending much of Thursday in Indianapolis, Pence flew to NY, according to a Republican familiar with the process.
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Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and Indiana Governor Mike Pence wave before addressing the crowd during a campaign stop at the Grand Park Events Center in Westfield, Indiana.
