Trump confirmed Pence as VP for 2020.
(I didn’t really have much doubt, but sounds like now it’s “official”.)
Anyone still thinking Pence is a RINO/weakling/no good is now proved utterly wrong.
Pence will be primaried. There are personality heavy weights who may be willing to primary Pence, and POTUS has not let Pence yet be seen as muscular enough to slide into position as his automatic replacement.
I’m watching for *gravitas* as one indicator, and Pompeo comes to mind. Until POTUS treated his Chief of Staff like a house boy, I had considered what’shisname as a contender, on the basis of his intelligence and ability to treat media like a boss. He is extremely articulate.
The dis-advantage for any R nominee is there simply will never be another TRUMP. And, not all R’s who might dare to run are to be trusted, so, the ones who are must be muscular and pretty much a genius.
Pence is such a gentle soul, he will have yeoman’s work ahead to make the grade to nominee and will need more significant resume developed during Trump’s second term, in order to show he did something that mattered. Trump is holding out and we won’t know if and when he will let Pence rise or fall, not really.
(But, heck, Steve Bannon still rocks in my book.)