Multiple news outlets are reporting presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump will pick Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as his vice presidential running mate days before the party’s national convention.
Pence was said to be the top choice of Trump’s children, who have played an active role in his campaign. Trump spent Tuesday meeting with Pence in Indiana, and he and his family met with Pence at the governor’s mansion Wednesday morning.
Amid media reports that Pence would be the vice presidential pick, the Trump campaign said Thursday afternoon that a final decision had yet to be made. Pence quickly exited a speaking event in Indianapolis Thursday morning without taking questions from reporters. His staff had not released details of any other planned appearances Thursday.
The Indianapolis Star reported Thursday that Pence was dropping his bid for re-election as governor to run on the Republican ticket with Trump. He cannot run simultaneously for both offices.
Trump has also said he was considering former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.
Gingrich told The Associated Press he was expecting to hear from Trump one way or the other sometime after 1 p.m. Eastern time. The former Georgia congressman praised Trump for running a “very fair, open process” and said he looked forward to learning the businessman’s decision.
Gingrich later posted on Facebook that he would hold a live chat at 2 p.m. Eastern about the “vice presidential picks and the VP selection process.”
Trump is expected to make the official announcement Friday at 11a.m. local time in New York.
Speculation that Pence would be the pick swirled Thursday morning when the Republican National Committee released a prelimary list of convention speakers, on which the Indiana governor’s name was notably absent.
Pence is seen as the most cautious choice for the dynamic billionaire businessman’s running mate. He has strict conservative views on abortion and gay rights, both issues about which Trump has expressed more liberal views, contributing to his lukewarm reception by some Republicans. Pence could help reassure traditional conservatives wary of Trump.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.