But Trump said in a phone interview on Fox News on Thursday night that he hadn’t made his “final, final decision” for vice president and confirmed that Christie was among three people under consideration.
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He was now expected to announce his pick before he heads to the party’s national convention in Cleveland next week, his campaign manager said on Friday. Sources had told Reuters earlier that Trump had been leaning toward Pence but cautioned that he could still change his mind. 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.
“I’ve served with Mike, I like him personally”, Sen.
Pence was also complimented Thursday at the White House, where press secretary Josh Earnest noted the governor had been doing “important work with the administration to expand Medicaid in his state”. Many state businesses – including the NCAA, which was readying to hold the Final Four there – said they reconsidered deals and investments. “He’s been a friend to many of us in the SC delegation and would make a fantastic vice president”. But as governor, Pence struggled in the shadow of Mitch Daniels, his predecessor who backed away from a presidential campaign of his own in 2014.
“Another horrific attack, this time in Nice, France”, he tweeted shortly after news of it broke.
Pence’s team has gotten word to start preparing to get the official nod Thursday, and the Trump campaign is now planning for the official nod Thursday, according to two sources familiar with the process.
On the House floor in 2001, Pence sung the praises of NAFTA and its effects on Indiana’s agricultural exports: “As the nation’s sixth largest corn producer, in benefited directly under the North American Free Trade Agreement”, he said. “Mike Pence will be a unifying factor and conservatives will be very supportive”. “He speaks their language, so that would bolster Trump with that part of the GOP base”.
Some top conservatives, though, have been wary of Pence, due to amendments he agreed to for a religious freedom bill he signed into law in 2015. The act was widely seen as meant to allow discrimination against LGBT individuals, and its passage prompted calls to boycott Indiana.
Pence is Trump’s pick and is dropping his re-election bid in order to join Trump’s ticket, the Indianapolis Star reported Thursday. He can not run simultaneously for both offices.
Separately, a top aide to an IN member of Congress said IN an interview Thursday, “I know from the state committee chair that the state party plans to do a caucus to replace Pence 12 days from today”.
That’s according to a Republican with direct knowledge of the process, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the person was not authorized to publicly discuss the details of Trump’s search for a running mate.
In addition to testing the men’s chemistry together, Trump was reportedly impressed with Pence’s calm demeanor, his experience on Capitol Hill and as a governor, and Pence’s potential to assist Trump in governing, should the ticket win in November.
Gingrich is a boisterous rabble-rouser who has spent decades in Washington and helped define the political battles of the 1990s.
Pence was chosen from a list of possible vice presidential candidates that included New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich and Army Gen. Michael Flynn. “That’s something Trump has to personally sort through”. “But I don’t see that in Pence”.
Former S.C. Gov. Jim Hodges said he doubts the vice presidential selection will have much impact, given Trump’s managerial style, celebrity and rhetoric. He called Trump’s attacks on an Indiana-born judge of Mexican heritage “inappropriate”, and said his proposal to temporarily ban Muslims from entering the United States was “offensive and unconstitutional”. “I’m not going to say it won’t bother me if I’m not selected”. “It’s hard to imagine that any vice presidential candidate would help or, frankly, hurt him”.
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He echoed those comments to Inskeep and refused to consider hypotheticals when asked if Trump would be a good president, not taking Clinton into consideration.
