Indiana Gov. Mike Pence is getting a political rebirth by hitching his star to GOP presumptive nominee Donald Trump, the Washington Post predicts.
"In being Trump's VP, Pence would get a shot at reclaiming the bright political future he once had — and, even if they don't win, putting himself on the map for future presidential bids,"
writes the Washington Post's "The Fix" blogger Aaron Blake.
"To become Trump's running mate, he'll have to quit that tough race [for re-election] for another, even tougher one," Blake writes. "But at least he'll be doing so with a chance to improve his national political stock. And perhaps that's the point."
Just a year ago, the backlash over
Indiana's religious freedom law seemed to have tarnished the rising GOP star so badly it put his re-election race in doubt — even in a solidly red state,
the Indianapolis Star commented.
Pence's troubles were all gloomily — and mockingly — summed up in a series of headlines in 2015 at the height of the controversy:
Pence struggled with
explaining his support even as he welcomed efforts to clarify the law.
But according to Blake, Pence's woes may have sown the seeds of his new rise as Donald Trump's probable vice presidential pick.
"In Pence, Trump has found a guy with demonstrated potential — but also some recently acquired baggage," Blake writes. "Would a Mike Pence without the religious liberty controversy notched to his belt risk his political future on being Trump's running mate?"
The gamble "would make sense for both sides," Blake writes.
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