Published on Alternet (http://www.alternet.org)
Home > Staunch Conservative Mike Pence to Be Trump's Running Mate
________________________________________
Staunch Conservative Mike Pence to Be Trump's Running Mate
By Elizabeth Preza [1] / AlterNet [2]
July 14, 2016
The Indianapolis Star [3] reports that Indiana Gov. Mike Pence will drop his
re-election bid and assume the role of Donald Trump's vice presidential
candidate, according to sources familiar with the Republican frontrunner's
decision.
The reports come after weeks of speculation over who Trump will choose as
his running mate; his campaign vetted a number of high-profile
Republicans-including Newt Gingrich and Chris Christie-in a series of
meet-and-greets and campaign rallies designed to test the potential running
mate's viability.
The Trump campaign was quick to insist the candidate has not yet made a
formal decision, but Trump campaign officials did not dispute questions
posed by the Washington Post [4] about Pence's likely role in the upcoming
election.
Pence, who previously supported Ted Cruz, is a hard-lined Christian
conservative, representing the rank-and-file Republican coalition that's
found little representation in Trump's more populist brand of conservatism.
The Indiana governor signed the 2015 "religious freedom" law which,
according to critics, effectively allows businesses to ban LGBT customers
under the guise of "religious freedom." Earlier this year, he signed a bill
making it illegal to for women to seek an abortion based on race, gender, or
disability of the fetus; the Indiana Supreme Court eventually blocked that
law from taking effect [5].
Trump's likely running mate apparently shares Trump's anti-immigration
attitudes. He suspended the relocation of Syrian refugees in Indiana and
voted in favor of a fence along the Mexican border. But he does part ways
with Trump on some issues; in December of last year, Pence criticized his
future running mate's call to ban all Muslims from entering the United
Sates, tweeting "Calls to ban Muslims from entering the U.S. are offensive
and unconstitutional."
Pence, who once called himself "Rush Limbaugh on decaf," is a political and
strategic pick for the Republican candidate, whose ostentatious demeanor has
alienated prominent social conservatives throughout the campaign. In Pence,
Trump found a running mate who can reach out to the party's hard right
constituents, bringing a sense of seriousness to a campaign largely
characterized by demeaning rhetoric and hyperbolic claims.
"It's no secret I'm a big fan of Mike Pence's," Speaker of the House Paul
Ryan and tepid supporter of Trump told the New York Times. [6] "We're very
good friends. I have very high regard for him. I hope that he picks a good
movement conservative. Clearly Mike is one of those."
Trump, whose heralded himself as a party outsider throughout his campaign,
finally made a nod to the establishment. Looks like politics as usual, after
all.
Elizabeth Preza is an AlterNet staff writer focusing on politics, media and
cultural criticism. Follow her on Twitter @lizacisms [7].
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Report typos and corrections to 'corrections@xxxxxxxxxxxx'. [8]
[9]
________________________________________
Source URL:
http://www.alternet.org/election-2016/staunch-conservative-mike-pence-emerge
s-trumps-likely-running-mate
Links:
[1] http://www.alternet.org/authors/elizabeth-preza
[2] http://alternet.org
[3]
http://www.indystar.com/story/news/politics/2016/07/14/report-pence-trumps-v
p-pick/87075866/
[4]
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2016/07/14/indiana-gov-
mike-pence-emerges-trumps-likely-running-mate/
[5]
http://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/indiana-judge-nixes-bill-would-hav
e-restricted-abortions-due-genetic-abnormalites
[6]
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/15/us/politics/mike-pence-donald-trump-vice-p
resident.html
[7] https://twitter.com/lizacisms
[8] mailto:corrections@xxxxxxxxxxxx?Subject=Typo on Staunch Conservative
Mike Pence to Be Trump's Running Mate
[9] http://www.alternet.org/
[10] http://www.alternet.org/%2Bnew_src%2B
Published on Alternet (http://www.alternet.org)
Home > Staunch Conservative Mike Pence to Be Trump's Running Mate
Staunch Conservative Mike Pence to Be Trump's Running Mate
By Elizabeth Preza [1] / AlterNet [2]
July 14, 2016
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The Indianapolis Star [3] reports that Indiana Gov. Mike Pence will drop his
re-election bid and assume the role of Donald Trump's vice presidential
candidate, according to sources familiar with the Republican frontrunner's
decision.
The reports come after weeks of speculation over who Trump will choose as
his running mate; his campaign vetted a number of high-profile
Republicans-including Newt Gingrich and Chris Christie-in a series of
meet-and-greets and campaign rallies designed to test the potential running
mate's viability.
The Trump campaign was quick to insist the candidate has not yet made a
formal decision, but Trump campaign officials did not dispute questions
posed by the Washington Post [4] about Pence's likely role in the upcoming
election.
Pence, who previously supported Ted Cruz, is a hard-lined Christian
conservative, representing the rank-and-file Republican coalition that's
found little representation in Trump's more populist brand of conservatism.
The Indiana governor signed the 2015 "religious freedom" law which,
according to critics, effectively allows businesses to ban LGBT customers
under the guise of "religious freedom." Earlier this year, he signed a bill
making it illegal to for women to seek an abortion based on race, gender, or
disability of the fetus; the Indiana Supreme Court eventually blocked that
law from taking effect [5].
Trump's likely running mate apparently shares Trump's anti-immigration
attitudes. He suspended the relocation of Syrian refugees in Indiana and
voted in favor of a fence along the Mexican border. But he does part ways
with Trump on some issues; in December of last year, Pence criticized his
future running mate's call to ban all Muslims from entering the United
Sates, tweeting "Calls to ban Muslims from entering the U.S. are offensive
and unconstitutional."
Pence, who once called himself "Rush Limbaugh on decaf," is a political and
strategic pick for the Republican candidate, whose ostentatious demeanor has
alienated prominent social conservatives throughout the campaign. In Pence,
Trump found a running mate who can reach out to the party's hard right
constituents, bringing a sense of seriousness to a campaign largely
characterized by demeaning rhetoric and hyperbolic claims.
"It's no secret I'm a big fan of Mike Pence's," Speaker of the House Paul
Ryan and tepid supporter of Trump told the New York Times. [6] "We're very
good friends. I have very high regard for him. I hope that he picks a good
movement conservative. Clearly Mike is one of those."
Trump, whose heralded himself as a party outsider throughout his campaign,
finally made a nod to the establishment. Looks like politics as usual, after
all.
Elizabeth Preza is an AlterNet staff writer focusing on politics, media and
cultural criticism. Follow her on Twitter @lizacisms [7].
Error! Hyperlink reference not valid.
Error! Hyperlink reference not valid.
Report typos and corrections to 'corrections@xxxxxxxxxxxx'. [8]
Error! Hyperlink reference not valid.[9]
Source URL:
http://www.alternet.org/election-2016/staunch-conservative-mike-pence-emerge
s-trumps-likely-running-mate
Links:
[1] http://www.alternet.org/authors/elizabeth-preza
[2] http://alternet.org
[3]
http://www.indystar.com/story/news/politics/2016/07/14/report-pence-trumps-v
p-pick/87075866/
[4]
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2016/07/14/indiana-gov-
mike-pence-emerges-trumps-likely-running-mate/
[5]
http://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/indiana-judge-nixes-bill-would-hav
e-restricted-abortions-due-genetic-abnormalites
[6]
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/15/us/politics/mike-pence-donald-trump-vice-p
resident.html
[7] https://twitter.com/lizacisms
[8] mailto:corrections@xxxxxxxxxxxx?Subject=Typo on Staunch Conservative
Mike Pence to Be Trump's Running Mate
[9] http://www.alternet.org/
[10] http://www.alternet.org/%2Bnew_src%2B
