After a day of speculation about who might join Trump atop the Republican Party’s presidential ticket, Trump tweets on Thursday night: “In light of the terrible attack in Nice, France, I have postponed tomorrow’s news conference concerning my Vice Presidential announcement”.
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The real estate mogul is slated to announce his decision Friday at 11 a.m.in NY, and multiple sources have said Trump’s shortlist is down to Pence, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Gingrich.
Trump’s advisers have told national Republican officials that they are preparing to make an announcement with Pence, according to three people with knowledge of the conversations, who were not authorized to discuss them publicly.
After spending much of Thursday in Indianapolis, Pence flew to NY late in the day, according to a Republican familiar with the process.
Until Trump makes the official announcement, many in the Tennessee congressional delegation declined to comment at length on the selection of Pence.
Trump is up against a clock: The Republican convention kicks off in Cleveland on Monday.
Other candidates reportedly in the running were former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.
Among the topics covered at the meeting were the final procedures to ensure that Pence, who faces a midday Friday deadline to withdraw from a closely fought re-election campaign, will be able to get off the IN ballot IN time if Trump picks him.
He says, “We’ll find out what Donald Trump decides to do”.
Seen as disciplined and relatively discreet, Pence was apparently the favorite of Trump’s children, who exercise much influence over their father as he campaigns for president. “But if he doesn’t get picked, it’s going to be hard for him to look Hoosiers in the eye in November and say he wants to be governor for four more years”. IN law stipulated he had to decide by Friday whether he wanted to run for governor or for vice president, as he can not run for both.
Trump Jr. tells @KatyTurNBC his father is still deciding on running mate. Trump said following Pence’s introduction.
CBS News and The Indianapolis Star then followed suit in declaring the conservative governor Trump’s running mate.
Tennessee’s U.S. Sen. Bob Corker was a popular early choice for vice president on Trump’s ticket, but Corker took himself out of the conversation a week ago. “I’m one of them”. “(Tuesday) we were playing some of Mr. Trump’s radio contributions – which were entertaining”.
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Working against Pence is the religious freedom bill he signed into law past year, which he later revised to prevent discrimination against certain groups.
