Donald Trump Picks Mike Pence as Running Mate
Indiana Governor Mike Pence has been selected to be Donald Trump’s vice-presidential running mate.
Donald Trump’s campaign planned to announce his selection on July 15, but canceled the event because of the attack in Nice, France.
On July 15, Donald Trump confirmed the selection on Twitter.
Donald Trump hopes Mike Pence – a former congressman popular among social conservatives – can help him shore up support among wavering Republicans.
Other candidates in the running were former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.
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Before his current job, Mike Pence, 57, spent 12 years in Washington in the House of Representatives.
Mike Pence’s legislative experience and position of governor of a Midwestern state could give Donald Trump advantages in the general election.
The Indiana governor is strongly anti-abortion and signed a religious freedom bill, which some saw as anti-gay, into law.
The likely Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton quickly responded to the selection on the same day, emphasizing Mike Pence’s stances on gay rights and abortion.
The campaign hopes that Mike Pence will help boost Donald Trump’s image with social conservatives who have been unsettled by Trump’s brash persona.
Donald Trump has said he wants a running mate who could help him work with Congress.
However, Donald Trump and Mike Pence differ on some key issues including the billionaire’s call to ban Muslim from entering the US.
In 2015, Mike Pence tweeted that Donald Trump’s plan was “offensive and unconstitutional”.
He has also expressed support for free trade agreements and was in favor of the war in Iraq, which Donald Trump says he was not.
Mike Pence also criticized Donald Trump for his attacks on Hispanic judge Gonzalo Curiel, who was born in Indiana.
Donald Trump had said Gonzalo Curiel could not possibly rule fairly in a case against him became of his Hispanic heritage.