And early Friday morning, campaign manager Paul Manafort, who is said to be a Pence booster, said on Fox & Friends: “I think that Mr. Trump has reached a decision, but he hasn’t-he isn’t prepared to announce it yet”. “News conference tomorrow at 11:00 A.M.”, Trump wrote in a tweet just before 11 a.m. Thursday.
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Pence’s stock for vice president rose within Republican circles in recent days, largely because he seemed to check all the boxes for a Trump running mate: lifetime Republican, congressional and executive experience, along with an ability to parry and thrust.
Pence was also slammed for the planned 2015 launch of “JustIN”, a state-operated news service that was ditched after critics panned it as “Pravda on the Plains”. The irrepressible Gingrich blurted out the truth: that he and Trump would constitute “a two pirate ticket”, whereas Pence was “a relatively stable, more normal person”.
“A social and economic conservative with strong religious views and think-tank credentials, Pence could conceivably shore up some of Trump’s weaknesses among certain strands of the GOP base and some ideologically-committed conservatives inside and outside the Beltway”, it said in an analysis of Pence; “Beltway” is a reference to the ring road around Washington D.C., but is used as shorthand for the federal government.
Pence quote-tweeted Trump’s announcement, adding that he is “honored” to join the ticket and “work to make America great again”.
An alternate New Mexico delegate to the Republican National Convention says the selection of Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as a vice presidential running mate is unlikely to make up for Trump’s shortcomings on the campaign trail.
Where Trump is impulsive, Pence is cool-headed.
Asked if he had any comment on Trump’s new running mate, White House press secretary Josh Earnest quipped, “You mean the TPP-supporting, Medicaid-expanding Mike Pence? No I don’t have any comment on that”. Conversely, Pence’s support for free trade and opposition to banning Muslim immigrants from entering the USA may raise questions for a different contingent of Trump fans.
Whoever is passed over for the governor’s race can be restored to the ballot for the positions they withdrew from Friday, but Indiana Republican Party Chairman Jeff Cardwell said the candidates were given no assurances they’d be chosen to return to their former races. But state law bars him from running for that office and also appearing on the ballot as a candidate for vice president.
Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton’s campaign reacted swiftly to the Pence announcement, calling him “the most extreme pick in a generation”. Pence won’t hurt him too much and may help him with Republican politicians and some conservatives.
The former Indiana House speaker says he wants to hear whether the potential new Republican candidates will continue Pence’s policies.
Trump was wise not to have picked the more explosive Gingrich or Christie, Sabato said. Kaine is also a former Virginia governor.
Even before word of Pence’s selection leaked, Democrats denounced the IN governor for pushing legislation to restrict abortion and gay rights. He also hosted a conservative syndicated radio show and a Sunday political TV show in Indianapolis.
Pence is an “anti-gay, anti-choice social warrior with few discernible accomplishments”, said Democratic strategist Lis Smith.
Pence was born and raised in the central in town of Columbus. He was first elected to his House seat in 2000, following two unsuccessful runs in 1988 and 1990.
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He unsuccessfully ran an insurgency campaign from the right, challenging Boehner of OH for leadership of House Republicans after the party lost control of the chamber in 2006.
