Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump tapped Gov. Mike Pence on Friday to be his running mate for November’s election. Pence is now unable to run for reelection as governor this fall because of the selection.
State and national Democratic leaders criticized Pence on Friday following the announcement, and said Indiana will now be subject to national criticism because of some of Pence’s policies and actions, and all Americans will be subject to them should he and Trump win the election.
“Past Indiana embarrassments are now going to be back to haunt us,” Scott Pelath, minority leader of the Indiana House of Representatives said in a press conference Friday regarding the national attention Indiana received from the Religious Freedom and Restoration Act and the recent limitations on abortion.
Democrats also considered the move to the VP slot to be selfish.
“Mike Pence showed his true colors with his national ambitions, leaving a state with six million Hoosiers behind,” Indiana Democratic Party Chairman John Zody said at Friday’s conference.
However, Democrats also said they believe Pence leaving the ballot will help Democratic candidate John Gregg win the governor’s seat.
“Republicans now face an open-seat race with a candidate who is virtually unknown by Hoosier voters,” Jared Leopold, director of the Democratic Governors Association, said in a press release. “Whoever emerges from the Republican committee will be hamstrung by Pence’s disastrous record.”
The Indiana Republican party has 30 days to vote on and select a candidate to replace Pence in the gubernatorial race.
