Nationally, the reaction to Pence has been mixed. But University of Mary Washington political science professor Stephen Farnsworth said he thought Pence was a wise choice because he is a conservative with connections to Washington Republicans who have clashed with Trump.
“But it’s not a game-changing choice by any means,” Farnsworth said of Pence. “Sometimes, the wise choice doesn’t look like the bold choice.”
He noted that the selection would not hurt Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine’s chances of becoming the running mate to presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.
“Tim Kaine’s moderate politics has created some anxiety among some on the left,” Farnsworth said. “But Trump’s selection of the deeply conservative Pence reminds all of those frustrated Bernie [Sanders] voters that there aren’t a lot of places to go other than Clinton.”
