More Than Corn

So it's now official, Governor Mike Pence is Donald Trump's pick for Vice-president. There are reports that as late as midnight Trump was asking close advisors if he could change his mind. No, he couldn't.

As one of the leading political scholars here in Hindtit,Indiana I've written a number of times about Mike Pence. For those of you who don't live in Indiana, you poor things, here's some thoughts.

Mike Pence was running for re-election to be Governor another four years. He was in all likelihood going to lose to Democratic former Speaker of the House John Gregg, the man he barely beat in 2012. The Indiana Republican Party was very nervous and hoping that Pence would be tapped for V.P., Pence was also hoping.

Let's recap the Pence trajectory. He was a conservative talk radio host in Indiana who spun that notoriety into a twelve year stint in the U.S. House of Representatives, where he ultimately rose to a party leadership role. Here's what he didn't do while he was there, pass a single piece of legislation. His goal was always to run for President. Some thought he would do that in 2012 but instead he decided to add some executive experience by running for Governor of his home state. He coasted on the agenda of his predecessor Mitch Daniels and then proceeded to wreck his Governorship with the Religious Freedom Restoration Act which not only had a severe backlash in Indiana but from across the country. Leading Indiana businessmen warned him not to do it but he ignored them. The aftermath brought threats of businesses moving out of the state, conventions saying they would not come and other states forbidding official government travel to Indiana. Pence unraveled and demonstrated an inability to deal with pressure.

The R.F.R.A. legislation, though denied by Pence, was about legally allowing open discrimination against the L.G.B.T. community. It's important to understand that Pence was all for this law because he believed in it and still does. He was forced by public opinion and the State Legislature to abandon it eventually. This is where Pence's potential re-election began to come apart. His core support is the religious right and they were not happy that he folded.

Pence is perfect for Trump because he can use him as a wink to the evangelicals and say look I picked your guy. Pence also won't outshine Trump or challenge him in anyone.

They say there's more than corn in Indiana and that's true. We also have tenderloins and the most bland politicians on Earth.
Pence will soon learn he has zero input in the Trump Campaign and that's a good thing because Trump is already nutty enough.

Interesting fact, that Trump Pence logo that sort of lookind like Trump penetrating Pence was certainly accurate but they have now changed the logo to a much more boring and less suggestive one. Too bad!