Gov. Mike Pence isn’t yet Donald Trump’s running mate — but he’s got his case for Trump down.
The Indiana Republican lavished praised on the presumptive GOP nominee, comparing him to Ronald Reagan and used the phrase “make America great again” Tuesday afternoon when he spoke with reporters after an event in Indianapolis.
“I think he is someone who has connected with everyday Americans like no one since Ronald Reagan,” Pence said. “I think he has spoken into the frustration and the longings of the American people as no one since the 40th president, and I think you’re going to continue to see him do that.”
But Pence isn’t the only VP prospect making headlines: Fox News said Tuesday it is suspending Newt Gingrich’s contract since Gingrich is also on Trump’s vice presidential short list.
Pence’s comments come ahead of Trump’s appearance in Indiana Tuesday evening. Both Trump and Pence will attend a fundraiser in downtown Indianapolis and then a public rally in nearby Westfield.
Pence has reason to praise Trump: He’s on the short list of candidates to join the Republican ticket as Trump’s running mate. A number of Republicans close to Pence have told CNN he will accept if the vice presidential nomination is offered.
In a Tuesday afternoon Fox News appearance — as a guest rather than network contributor — Gingrich said he and Pence remain active candidates to be Trump’s running mate, along with New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.
“Clearly Gov. Pence is deeply in the running, Gov. Christie is. I’ve been part of the process. We’ll see what happens over the next two to three days. It’s a little like ‘Apprentice’ — you see in a few days who the last one standing is.”
Pence and Trump don’t always agree on policy. In his six terms in Congress, Pence was a strong backer of free trade deals — one of Trump’s signature targets on the campaign trail. He also criticized Trump’s call for a ban on Muslims entering the United States, and his comments about an Indiana-born judge’s Mexican heritage.
But Pence, who rose to become the No. 3-ranking House Republican before being elected governor in 2012, downplayed those differences Tuesday — cribbing Trump’s campaign slogan while making the case for Trump’s election.
“I haven’t agreed with every one of my Republican colleagues or Democrat colleagues on every issue,” he said. “But I’m supporting Donald Trump because we need change in this country, and I believe he represents the kind of strong leadership at home and abroad that will, to borrow a phrase, ‘make America great again.'”
Pence focused on a president’s role in appointing Supreme Court justices, saying that “we can count on Donald Trump to make the kind of common-sense conservative appointments to the court that will make Republicans and every American proud.”
Pence and his wife Karen met with Donald and Melania Trump at Trump’s golf course in New Jersey early this month — a meeting Pence brought up Tuesday.
“I will tell you that we’ve been honored to spend some time with Mr. and Mrs. Trump,” he said. “We were very moved by how gracious and kind they were to our family. And I think he is going to be a great president.”