July 5, 2016 at 5:35 p.m.
Pence for veep? It’s a crazy year
Editorial
The conversation went something like this.
Word that Indiana Gov. Mike Pence was being vetted by the Donald Trump campaign had just surfaced. There was speculation over whether Pence would give up the governor’s job.
Political observer one: Mike Pence would be crazy to do that.
Political observer two: But in this crazy year in politics, can you really rule out anything?
Political observer one: I guess anything’s possible this time around.
And that point is true: Anything is possible.
In any normal election year, an incumbent Indiana governor — of either party — is a virtual shoo-in for re-election. And if the incumbent is a Republican, the chances that the office changes hands are even slimmer.
But this is anything but a normal election year.
Mike Pence only narrowly defeated Democrat John Gregg last time around. Since then, the governor has had more than his share of stumbles.
Never wildly popular within the GOP, he has lacked the kind of popular enthusiasm that Mitch Daniels managed to evoke. It hasn’t been hard to find longtime Republicans who will tell you they’re not Pence fans.
But Hoosier GOP politics have been tame compared to the never-ending series of surprises from the Republican presidential contest.
If anyone tells you they believed a year ago that Donald Trump would be the GOP nominee, it’s safe to say they are lying to you.
Trump’s ascendance has been so unexpected and has created such divisions and angst within the party that the word “unprecedented” is becoming seriously over-used.
As in, an unprecedented number of prominent figures in the party are staying away from the national convention. As is, an unprecedented number of Republicans have publicly stated that four years of a Hillary Clinton presidency would be easier for the country to bear than Donald Trump in the White House. In other words, it’s been one of the craziest political years on record.
So, will The Donald give Mike a buzz and offer him the chance to be his running mate? And if he does, will the governor accept? And if that happens, what the heck does it do to the Indiana gubernatorial contest?
Hard to believe it could get crazier than that, but fasten your seat belt. Could be, the craziness has just started. — J.R.
Word that Indiana Gov. Mike Pence was being vetted by the Donald Trump campaign had just surfaced. There was speculation over whether Pence would give up the governor’s job.
Political observer one: Mike Pence would be crazy to do that.
Political observer two: But in this crazy year in politics, can you really rule out anything?
Political observer one: I guess anything’s possible this time around.
And that point is true: Anything is possible.
In any normal election year, an incumbent Indiana governor — of either party — is a virtual shoo-in for re-election. And if the incumbent is a Republican, the chances that the office changes hands are even slimmer.
But this is anything but a normal election year.
Mike Pence only narrowly defeated Democrat John Gregg last time around. Since then, the governor has had more than his share of stumbles.
Never wildly popular within the GOP, he has lacked the kind of popular enthusiasm that Mitch Daniels managed to evoke. It hasn’t been hard to find longtime Republicans who will tell you they’re not Pence fans.
But Hoosier GOP politics have been tame compared to the never-ending series of surprises from the Republican presidential contest.
If anyone tells you they believed a year ago that Donald Trump would be the GOP nominee, it’s safe to say they are lying to you.
Trump’s ascendance has been so unexpected and has created such divisions and angst within the party that the word “unprecedented” is becoming seriously over-used.
As in, an unprecedented number of prominent figures in the party are staying away from the national convention. As is, an unprecedented number of Republicans have publicly stated that four years of a Hillary Clinton presidency would be easier for the country to bear than Donald Trump in the White House. In other words, it’s been one of the craziest political years on record.
So, will The Donald give Mike a buzz and offer him the chance to be his running mate? And if he does, will the governor accept? And if that happens, what the heck does it do to the Indiana gubernatorial contest?
Hard to believe it could get crazier than that, but fasten your seat belt. Could be, the craziness has just started. — J.R.
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