Pence
Republicans are applauding the selection of Mike Pence as Donald Trump’s vice presidential running mate, while Democrats are knocking the Indiana governor.
“We are excited to see somebody with executive experience and a career in politics on the ticket, and we are enthusiastic that he will provide balance to the presidential slate,” said Joe DeFelice, a Mayfair resident and chairman of the Philadelphia Republican Party. “Our focus is on defeating Hillary Clinton, who a majority of Americans believe should have been indicted for deliberately putting national security information at risk, come November.”
U.S. Rep. Bob Brady (D-1st dist.), who represents about 30 percent of the Northeast, is no fan of Pence, who served in the House of Representatives from 2001–12.
“Mike Pence said, ‘I was Tea Party before it was cool,’ and as his colleague in Congress, I saw firsthand Pence’s divisiveness and backwards views. Pence is as dangerous as Trump: he personally spearheaded an anti-LGBT law that led businesses to slam his leadership, and he signed into law an unconstitutional bill to restrict women’s health care choice. This extreme ticket would be a disaster for families in Pennsylvania, which is why we must work even harder to make Hillary Clinton our next president,” he said.
U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, who served in the House from 1999 to 2004, released the following statement in reaction to the selection of Pence.
“I’ve known Mike Pence for 15 years, and I know him to be a man of great character and devotion to principle,” he said. “He’s a very strong choice for vice president.”
Republican Party of Pennsylvania chairman Rob Gleason said, “Donald Trump made a great decision when he chose Mike Pence to be his running mate. Gov. Mike Pence is a tremendous conservative who has experience at both the state and congressional levels of government. Mike Pence is a strong addition to our Republican ticket, and we look forward to working hard to elect both Donald Trump and his new running mate this November.”
Pennsylvania Democratic Party chairman Marcel Groen ripped Pence for his views on immigration reform, the minimum wage, abortion and gay rights
“Donald Trump’s choice of Mike Pence as his vice presidential candidate only proves that Trump wants to divide Americans with more hateful rhetoric and discriminatory policies. Mike Pence’s lifetime of extreme conservatism is out of line with American values and is not fit for the country,” he said.
“Pence was a vanguard congressman of the Tea Party movement, and as such he voted in lockstep with the far right. Republicans find themselves with an unstable businessman and a right-wing ideologue on their ticket, and this is a dangerous mix. Donald Trump somehow believes that Mike Pence is ready to step into his shoes, but both Trump and Pence are too dangerous to be allowed anywhere near the White House.”
John Podesta, chairman of Hillary for America, faulted Pence for Indiana ranking 38th in incomes. Podesta noted that Pence was the first member of GOP House leadership to join the Tea Party Caucus, founded by Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann. He called him “the most extreme pick in a generation.”
“By picking Mike Pence as his running mate, Donald Trump has doubled down on some of his most disturbing beliefs by choosing an incredibly divisive and unpopular running mate known for supporting discriminatory politics and failed economic policies that favor millionaires and corporations over working families,” Podesta said. “Voters deserve better than more of their divisive policies and ‘me-first’ economic proposals.” ••
