Usually, the VP is the attack dog, while the presidential candidate remains above the fray.
I find it refreshingly ironic that for the Trump/Pence ticket the roles have been reversed.
Personally, I would have chosen Christie, but Pence is not a bad choice. Newt would probably have been the worst choice, given his personal issues (affairs, treatment of ex-wife) and his tendency to run off at the mouth (sometimes brilliantly, sometimes not). It also disturbed me that Newt could not hold his own against Bill Clinton.
I think Christie would have been a fighter, but he has his own scandals and it would be have a NY Metro heavy ticket.
At least Pence is conservative and (seemingly) squeaky clean.
It’s not so hard to figure out. It was a political calculation. A fine outstanding conservative and choice.
The nevertrump idiots and others who just feel queasy about Trump are now going to have to come out in oppostion to one of the most conservative Governors as well. That is going to conflict with what they tell themselves they believe in.
Cognitive dissonance.
Second order of business: bring in moderates and independents.
That's coming right after the convention.
Trump and Pence and all his team will get that done.
There is only one reason for a Vice President. He is supposed to keep extremists from wanting to shoot the President, knowing who they would put in the White House after the assassination.