Donald Trump, a scrapper on the campaign, will be a fighter in the White House, his running mate, Mike Pence, told a Denver crowd of about 150 on Wednesday.
Pence made no direct mention of the Trump has fanned over the past week or the candidate’s other incendiary remarks about religion, race or women. The Indiana governor instead assailed “political correctness” and the media.
“You have nominated a man for president who never quits, who never backs down,” Pence said.
The Indiana governor made his first campaign trip to Colorado, following and Denver last Friday.
Pence also in Colorado Springs.
The Republican ticket’s second fiddle offered a mile-high balance — intended or otherwise — to Hillary Clinton’s Wednesday.
Pence, however, also has been a counterbalance to Trump’s most incendiary remarks and perceived weaknesses with the conservative base, especially the state’s evangelical voters.
Earlier Wednesday, for example, re-election bid, a day after Trump refused to, . Ryan has issued a heavily qualified endorsement of Trump.
Pence could sway the religious conservatives in the Colorado base. He is anti-abortion and last year signed into law measures that would to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals based on religious beliefs.
“It’s good we have someone like Pence,” said Jim Craig, a Trump supporter who is vice chairman of the Trump campaign in Okeechobee, Fla. “Donald shoots from the head and goes a little overboard. Pence is able to bring him down a notch.”
Craig’s wife, Sally, added: “You can tell when he talks, it’s from his heart. And he’s a Christian — we need that back in this country.”
Peter Olsen, who attended Pence’s speech, said he would prefer a former governor, someone with government-executive experience, in the White House, adding he was never a big fan of Trump.
“Pence is a good teammate, but he’ll be tap dancing from here until November,” said . “Trump is so thin-skinned — he holds grudges and retaliates. If anyone can bring Trump down to earth, it’s Pence.”
Pence told the crowd that Democrats are telling America the current economy is the best the country can do.
“It’s not the best we can do. It’s just the best they can do,” Pence said. “When Donald Trump is president of the United States, we’re going to balance our budget, cut our taxes … and we’re going to make the American economy work for everybody.”
Ian Silverii, executive director of ProgressNow Colorado, the state’s largest liberal advocacy organization, saw Pence’s speech in a broader context.
“Donald Trump represents just about everything that’s wrong with right-wing politics in America today,” Silverii said. “Mike Pence stands for everything wrong with right-wing politics that Trump hasn’t already covered.
“The Trump-Pence ticket is a disaster for the Republican Party. All we can hope is that it doesn’t become a disaster for all of America this November.”
