UPDATE, 7/15, 11:00am – It’s official: Donald Trump announced on Twitter this morning that Indiana governor Mike Pence will be his running mate.
I am pleased to announce that I have chosen Governor Mike Pence as my Vice Presidential running mate. News conference tomorrow at 11:00 A.M.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 15, 2016
UPDATE, 7/14, 4:45am – Sources close to the Trump campaign seem to confirm that Pence is a likely Vice Presidential choice, but Washington insiders still remain skeptical. Pence has quit his gubernatorial re-election campaign and is reportedly “taking steps” to clear his schedule for the Veep slot, but there is no official word just yet.
UPDATE, 7/14, 8:00am – The Trump campaign now says a decision will come by Friday at 11am Eastern time. The camp says Donald Trump will announce his VP at a press conference then.
In an appearance last night, Newt Gingrich noted that Trump’s final decision is between Mike Pence and himself.
UPDATE, 10:30am – Wednesday morning, members of the Trump family, including daughter Ivanka, her husband Jared Kushner, and Donald Trump, Jr., met with Pence at his home in Indianapolis.
JUST IN: Ivanka, Don Jr. & Jared Kushner meeting with Mike Pence at his Indianapolis home.
— Vaughn Hillyard (@VaughnHillyard) July 13, 2016
VIDEO: Trump + Ivanka, Don Jr., & Jared Kushner enter the residence of Indiana Governor & VP prospect Mike Pence. pic.twitter.com/6JLoD3lpdc
— Vaughn Hillyard (@VaughnHillyard) July 13, 2016
After the family spent time with Pence, privately, they were joined by Donald Trump.
HAPPENING NOW: Donald Trump just arrived to the Pence residence.
— Vaughn Hillyard (@VaughnHillyard) July 13, 2016
This is a good sign that Trump is seriously considering Pence as his running mate. We will update as necessary with any breaking news.
Update, 1:25pm – Donald Trump is now meeting with Newt Gingrich who just arrived in Indianapolis.
News Alert: @realDonaldTrump meeting with @newtgingrich. pic.twitter.com/hlx7ADDqZi
— FOX Business (@FoxBusiness) July 13, 2016
Gingrich, not Trump, requested the meeting, according to sources in Indiana.
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Reports are that Donald Trump is “95%” certain to name Indiana Governor Mike Pence as his running mate, passing over Newt Gingrich (who matches Trump’s record-breaking unfavorables), and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who’s served as Trump’s right hand man and occasional terrified lackey since endorsing the New York real estate developer in February.
Now while sources in Indiana politics tell Heat Street that the likelihood of Trump/Pence 2016 is probably “closer to around 60%,” those are still formidable odds that the conservative heavyweight will end up on Trump’s ticket. Here are a few things you’ll need to know about Mike Pence.
1. He didn’t endorse Donald Trump in the primary. Pence backed Ted Cruz over Donald Trump in the Indiana primary, which emerged as a must-win for the Texas Senator and there were reports that Pence told friends privately that he “loathed Trump.” But Tony Katz, a conservative radio host in Indiana, says that Pence is “not all-out on Trump,” and that Pence is “a believer in the GOP and a party guy at heart,” which could mean he’d be willing to put the GOP’s chances of winning above feeling warm and fuzzy about the Donald.
2. He’s a stalwart conservative who could help Trump in the “rust belt” states. Although Trump won Indiana handily, he failed to win Wisconsin and also failed to make a dent in Michigan – two very important, “Rust Belt” swing states. Pence has a reputation of being a hardcore conservative who sticks to his principles even in the face of certain trouble (see his approach to Indiana’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act, for example). He could reassure voters who might be iffy on Trump that there would be a strong pro-life, pro-trade, small government – conservative voice in Trump’s administration.
3. He doesn’t mind if his good deeds fly under the radar. Even as Pence was handling the national furor over his Religious Freedom Restoration Act, an HIV outbreak was raging in southern Indiana. Without media attention, and as he was being portrayed as virulently “anti-gay” in news accounts, Pence authorized a massive needle exchange program that controlled the disease’s spread. But aside from a few local news reports, his effort went unsung – something that might be a regular occurrence serving under President Donald Trump.
4. Republicans are unlikely to lose control in Indiana without Pence. Republicans are strong in Indiana and will likely keep control of the governor’s mansion, even without Pence inside. The Indiana GOP has strong candidates in the Lieutenant Governor as well as the former Indianapolis Mayor, both solidly GOP. That means the GOP wouldn’t put down-ticket races in danger if they plucked up a strong conservative.
5. He’s a big fan of bacon. Not that it matters on the Presidential ticket, but Gov. Pence is such a big fan of bacon that he’ll help himself to the other half of your bacon doughnut.
Special thanks to Indiana radio host Tony Katz for the video.
