Indiana governor Mike Pence is Donald Trump’s vice presidential pick, several US media outlets reported yesterday, though not yet according to the presumptive Republican presidential candidate’s own camp.
Pence’s name emerged in various reports, though the billionaire’s campaign staff remained tight-lipped, calling any media-declared winner in the Trump “Veepstakes” premature ahead of an announcement which was due on Friday. However, Mr Trump has now postponed the news conference following the attack in Nice, France. The businessman announced that he was calling off the event, planned for New York “in light of the horrible attack,” he said in a tweet.
Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call led the political press pack to report the unconfirmed news that the former Apprentice host would be telling the midwestern state governor and former congressman and radio host: “You’re Hired!”
The paper was quickly followed by CBS News, the Indianapolis Star, the New York Times and others.
Strong signals The Times reported that the Trump camp had “signalled strongly” to Republicans in Washington that Mr Pence was the billionaire’s man, though few appeared willing to call Mr Trump’s selection definitively given the businessman’s capricious nature.
Even aides close to the Indiana man, a social conservative, warned of a last-minute change of heart by Mr Trump, despite the political smoke-signals.
The property developer’s campaign chairman Paul Manafort said that the campaign had not notified anyone of a final decision on the running mate.
“We have not been reaching out to Washington to tell them to prepare for any particular candidate,” Mr Manafort said, pointing to Friday’s announcement planned for the New York Hilton, two blocks from Trump Tower in Manhattan.
Mr Trump’s vice-presidential shortlist had been whittled down to Mr Pence and three others: New Jersey governor Chris Christie; former speaker of the US House of Representatives Newt Gingrich and Alabama senator Jeff Sessions.
The billionaire has tested the suitability of his potential running mates at audition-like campaign appearances, culminating on Tuesday in Indiana with Mr Pence’s appearance at a rally in an Indianapolis suburb.
The former reality TV star’s event was followed by a morning meeting on Wednesday at the Indiana governor’s mansion between Mr Pence and Mr Trump along with family members who are closely advising the businessman.
Mr Pence ticks a few boxes for Mr Trump.
The religious governor, raised in an Irish Catholic family, shores up the support of evangelical Christians and social conservatives who may have doubts about Mr Trump, a thrice-married former Democrat.
Irish ancestry The proud grandson of Irish immigrants from Sligo and Clare has been a moderate Republican on the question of immigration reform, which would put him at odds with the hard line adopted by Mr Trump on the issue.
A “Trump-Pence 2016” ticket would inject political orthodoxy into an unconventional campaign, partnering a career politician – once the third-ranking Republican in Congress – with a brash outsider.
“Mike Pence not only has a calm, steady demeanour which is a yin to Trump’s personality yang but Mike Pence is very predictable,” said Christine Matthews, a Republican pollster who worked for former Indiana governor Mitch Daniels.
“He is moored in ideological principles so you understand where he is coming from on pretty much any given issue.”
Chris Henick, a Republican strategist, believes a Rust Belt governor may help Mr Trump’s campaign.
“This is shaping up to me to be more a midwestern battleground,” he said.
