Washington – Report: Trump To Name Indiana Governor Pence As Running Mate

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    Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump (R) and Indiana Governor Mike Pence (L) wave to the crowd before addressing the crowd during a campaign stop at the Grand Park Events Center in Westfield, Indiana, July 12, 2016. REUTERS/John Sommers II Washington – Republican White House hopeful Donald Trump will name Indiana Governor Mike Pence as his vice presidential running mate on Friday, Roll Call news site reported, a choice that would help the New York businessman appeal to conservatives and could boost his chances in a competitive state.

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    Roll Call on Thursday cited an unidentified Republican with direct knowledge of the decision to choose Pence, 57, a former U.S. congressman. Reuters has not confirmed the report.

    Shortly after noon, Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort wrote on Twitter that the decision “will be made in the near future.”

    Pence quickly exited a speaking event in Indianapolis Thursday morning without taking questions from reporters. His staff had not released details of any other planned appearances Thursday.

    Pence is running for re-election, but Indiana law prevents him from seeking two offices at once. He faces a Friday deadline to withdraw from the governor’s race.

    A Republican familiar with Pence’s thinking said the paperwork has been drawn up for him to take that step. However, the documents have not been filed, according to the Republican, who insisted on anonymity because that person was not authorized to publicly discuss Pence’s plans.

    Trump was making his final decision from California, where he is scheduled to attend a series of fundraisers at a distance from many of his closest advisers. His campaign chair, Paul Manafort, is currently in Cleveland, and none of his children are in the state with him.

    The two Republicans spent time this month testing their chemistry at Trump’s golf course in New Jersey and at the governor’s residence in Indiana. Trump was impressed with Pence’s calm manner and his experience on Capitol Hill and as governor, the news outlet reported.

    Pence had backed a Trump rival, Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, in April before the Indiana primary, but he praised the New York businessman and said he would work on behalf of the eventual Republican nominee. Trump won Indiana anyway, prompting Cruz to drop out of the party race to be the nominee for the Nov. 8 presidential election.

    Pence had considered running for president himself in 2016 before deciding to run for re-election as governor. Conservatives had urged him to seek the White House, but missteps in 2015 related to an Indiana law seen as anti-gay hurt his national profile.

    This year, he was the target of a mocking social media campaign by women outraged at a law he signed creating new restrictions on abortions. Feeling that the law invaded their privacy, women responded by calling Pence’s office to describe their menstrual periods or tweeting similar messages.

    Pence ran unsuccessfully for Congress twice before he was elected to the House of Representatives in 2000, where he was chairman of the Republican Study Committee, a group of conservatives.

    Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich told The Associated Press he was expecting to hear from Trump one way or the other sometime after 1 p.m. The former Georgia congressman praised Trump for running a “very fair, open process” and said he looked forward to learning the businessman’s decision.

    Gingrich later posted on Facebook that he would hold a live chat at 2 p.m. about the “vice presidential picks and the VP selection process.”

    Trump and his new running mate will make their first appearance as a team Friday in New York. The timing is aimed at energizing Republicans ahead of next week’s Republican convention in Cleveland.

    Pence, 57, is a steady, staunch conservative who would help calm nervous Republican wary of Trump’s impulsive style. He served six terms in Congress before becoming Indiana governor. He also has deep ties to evangelical Christians and other conservatives, particularly after signing a law last year that critics said would have allowed businesses to deny service to gay people for religious reasons.

    Trump took notice of Pence during the Indiana primary, noting that the governor had high praise for him despite endorsing one of his rivals.


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    7 Comments
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    kenyaninwhitehouse
    kenyaninwhitehouse
    7 years ago

    he is more pro-Israel than most of the Knesset.

    7 years ago

    A big mistake.Two angry white men is no good. He needed a classy articulate female to bet Hiliary.

    puppydogs
    puppydogs
    7 years ago

    Great choice

    bsnow
    bsnow
    7 years ago

    Good picked!

    hashomer
    hashomer
    7 years ago

    This may be the old switch the knish trick, with Trumpie picking Naughty Newt tomorrow and again controlling the news cycle…