Vice President Pence has spent the past four years as the obligatory sidekick to a vulnerable and controversial president, but this week he will step into the spotlight at a critical moment for the Trump campaign.
Pence will address Fort McHenry’s Republican National Convention in Baltimore on Wednesday night. The theme of the evening is “Land of Heroes”, in which the Vice President is likely to pay tribute to workers in the frontline and the history of the country, the latter a nod to the message of the campaign that a Democrat profit would fundamentally change the country.
Those close to the campaign recognize that Pence does not arouse voters in the same way that Trump does, as the way Sen. Kamala Harris
Kamala HarrisTrump seeks to overcome erosive support among women Has Trump suffered from ‘self-destructive syndrome’? Could Kamala Harris enforce the law as vice president? MORE (D-Calif.) Can promote the Biden campaign. His low key has fueled recurring speculation through Trump’s first term that he could sneak Pence for another running mate.
But as the Republican convention approaches, Trump has made his love for Pence public, those close to the campaign overwhelming the vice president, and the former governor of Indiana has reappeared as a key player as the two will win a second term.
‘While a visit from President Trump
Donald John TrumpTwo ‘The Apprentice’ Producers Help at Republican National Convention Some 70,000 lives could be saved in the near future if people wear masks: Trump researchers issue disaster declaration for California as wildfire rages MAY can dominate coverage over days, Vice President Pence’s tactical and surgical approach is incredibly useful to our policy because he can travel from state to state to address specific issues like coalitions, “said Nick Trainer, director of combat strategy for the Trump campaign.
Over the past few weeks, Pence has hosted “Farmers and Ranchers for Trump” events in Iowa, “Cops for Trump” and “Latter-day Saints for Trump” meetings in Arizona and provided an economic address in Wisconsin. An earlier planned trip to Florida to reach Latino voters was postponed.
The range of events reflects how Pence can be deployed to deliver a targeted message to key demographics whose campaign is trusted in November. His extensive journey leads to positive local news coverage, without the controversies as off-script moments that Trump has tended to bring.
But Pence rarely makes news, stays rigid on message and has a tendency to get overplayed by Trump. The result is that he does not generate the same enthusiasm among voters as the president.
“Mike is on the B team, and he knows it,” said one outside adviser to the president who asked anonymity to speak honestly. “He’s a great player. But he does not bring in the same kind of fan-base voter enthusiasm as the president does. ”
A recent Morning Consult-Politico poll found that 38 percent of polled registered voters have a favorable view of Pence, while 50 percent hold an unfavorable view. By comparison, Trump has a 39 percent favorable rating and a 57 percent unfavorable rating in the same poll.
Pence’s status in the White House and on the GOP ticket has been the subject of recurring rumors in Trump’s first term, with speculation that the president may opt for a new running mate that picks up periodically.
Chatter picked up when former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley
Nimrata (Nikki) HaleyThe Hill’s Convention Report: Postmaster General Grilled | Looking forward to GOP convention | Trump campaign passes billions in Trump’s rise to attend GOP convention every day: reports Nikki Haley trolled over complaints about The Popcorn Factory MORE left the administration and praised the president efficiently that she could keep an eye on the place of the vice presidency in 2020. Haley’s makers claimed that adding an Indian American woman to the GOP ticket would broaden Trump’s appeal.
The same arguments made the rounds this month when Biden Harris, whose parents hail from India and Jamaica, chose to be his running mate.
But Trump, who recruited a number of aides after leaving office, restored Pence’s loyalty in kind, and White House officials and campaigners were quick to dismiss the talk of replacing Pence as nonsense. .
“These rumors are never more than short-sighted dreams of Democrats and their mainstream media allies who are constantly rooting for chaos,” said Trainer, who worked alongside both men in the White House before campaigning. “President Trump and Vice President Pence have a deep respect for each other and their shared commitment to delivering on their America First agenda for the American people. President Trump knows that Vice President Pence has always been his best ally – and always will be. ”
A White House official pointed to 13 separate copies since March in which Trump praised Pence by name, and the president has on several occasions denied that he is looking for a new running mate.
“Do we love our vice president? I’ll tell you, I saw Kamala last night, and I said, ‘I’ll take Mike. I’ll take Mike through a lot, ” Trump said during a campaign event in Pennsylvania Thursday. “He’s actually been a great vice president.”
One campaign official acknowledged that Trump and Pence care about an “odd couple.” But it is a coupling that benefits both men.
Trump found a loyal running mate appealing to evangelicals and Republicans who were skeptical of the president’s conservative references.
Pence, who faced a difficult reelection bid in 2016, is now the second highest-ranking official in the government and is considered a front-runner for the party’s presidential nomination of 2024 if Trump wins in November. .
Pence has further elevated his profile since the beginning of the year, becoming a constant presence on the campaign track and establishing himself as the leader of the federal response to the coronavirus pandemic.
The latter allowed Pence to open up for scrutiny in the vice-presidency debate and on the campaign track. The handling of the virus by the Trump administration is widespread, especially Trump’s mixed messages and early decline of his seriousness. The US leads the world with more than 170,000 reported deaths and roughly 6 million infections.
Campaign officials downplayed the idea that Pence’s leadership role in the pandemic would be a liability. One senior official said the vice president could play down the mobilization of the administration to distribute protective equipment and conduct tests.
Pence has countered Trump’s detached and at times deviant response to the pandemic by offering sympathy and acknowledging the seriousness of the situation. The vice president conducts weekly talks with executives to discuss the virus, and although some are sometimes frustrated with the administration’s general approach, sources familiar with the talks say Pence is generally a reliable partner.
“If it’s a fight over what this administration has done on coronavirus, if that’s the fight we’ll have, [until Election Day] dan Mike Pence
Michael (Mike) Richard PenceTrump Holds Private Funeral Service for Brother Robert Trump at White House Democrats Prep Announcements, Events to Reach Trump During GOP Convention The Hill’s Convention Report: Postmaster General Grilled | Looking forward to GOP convention | Trump campaign goes billions in MORE spending is the best spokesperson for this board, ”said the senior campaign official.
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