Last man standing: How Pence’s loyalty helped him survive – By Story Hinckley (CS Monitor) / Aug 26 2020
President Trump may no longer need the evangelical Midwesterner to shore up the GOP base. But allies say he’d be hard-pressed to find a more faithful governing partner – or one as willing to cede the spotlight to the boss.
When Donald Trump tapped Mike Pence to be his running mate in 2016, it seemed an unlikely pairing. One was a thrice-married former reality TV star; the other a devout Evangelical who made it a policy never to be alone in a room with a woman who was not his wife. The brash New York real estate mogul was making his first run for public office; the governor of Indiana had spent a dozen years as a congressman, and was known for a placid demeanor that even allies admitted could come across as dull.
Yet in Mr. Pence, Mr. Trump may have spotted a quality that he is frequently said to prize above all others: loyalty.
Four years later, the vice president is one of the few original Team Trump members who’s still around, in an administration marked by record turnover – even longtime aide Kellyanne Conway will step down at the end of the month – and endless drama. He’s survived despite persistent rumors that the president might replace him with a more exciting candidate, such as former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley or South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem.
Through it all, Mr. Pence has presented a picture of steadfast support – always on message, never contradicting his boss. Not only has he never attempted to carve out a distinct political identity apart from Mr. Trump, he seems to have made the decision not to allow even a crack of daylight between the two.
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