Clinton’s campaign says Pence was an early advocate for the tea party in Congress – and as governor, pushed a law that discriminated against gays and lesbians and alienated businesses in Indiana. 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. Traditionally, the vice presidential choice is used to build enthusiasm among party loyalists.
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Trump’s original plan was to announce his pick in Manhattan at 11 a.m. today.
The presumptive Republican nominee was scheduled to announce his running mate in New York City on Friday morning.
Mr Trump, a NY businessman, has never held elected office.
If ultimately chosen, Pence will have beaten out other finalists, including New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, in what had turned into a public audition in recent weeks.
He has influential allies in Trump’s inner circle. He also is on record as opposing Trump’s proposal for a temporary ban on Muslims entering the USA – an idea Pence rightly called “offensive and unconstitutional”.
If they do, he said, they should be deported – even if they’re US citizens.
Alongside Trump means Pence will pull out of his re-election campaign for IN governor.
Yet, far from compensating for Trump’s deficiencies, Pence’s credentials bring them into sharper and more frightening relief.
“I haven’t made my final, final decision”, Trump said on Fox News Channel.
Just before the IN primary election, Pence endorsed Ted Cruz, Trump’s leading opponent and a far-right senator from Texas.
Mr Pence was also complimented on 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”. Conservatives had urged him to seek the White House, but missteps past year related to an IN law seen as anti-gay hurt his national profile. Within days, he amended the law to address their concerns.
A former talk-radio host and congressman, Pence is well-regarded among those in the conservative movement.
Supporters of the Purdue University president had launched a “Draft Mitch” effort if Donald Trump names Pence as his vice presidential running mate.
Pence has also voiced support for free trade deals like the Trans Pacific Partnership.
Pence later signed a revision he said would prevent such LGBT discrimination, but many religious conservatives faulted him for bending to political pressure.
“Mike Pence has never left any question about his animus toward LGBTQ people, from peddling a hateful and damaging “right to discriminate bill” in IN past year, to his longstanding opposition to marriage equality – positions shared by Donald Trump”.
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Trump has signalled that he wants an experienced politician to help his presidential ticket because he is a political outsider with no experience in governing.
