OTOH...as I stated earlier, a Pence recommendation means I'm against it.
That doesn't constitute "doing due diligence and a thorough investigation first".
Even a broken clock (VP Mike Pence) is right twice a day. Why not evaluate each Supreme Court candidate based on individual merit?
If Pence supported James Mattis for Defense Secretary—and I presume he did—would you have been against Mattis then?
What if Pence's preference just happens to be a "strict Constitutionalist"? A candidate shouldn't be discounted simply because someone you don't like prefers him/her. I can't imagine Pence not wanting a strict Constitutionalist, and I think Pence may very well have "evolved" into more of an anti-Establishment figure after sufficient exposure to Donald J. Trump, and given what the Vice President has now seen with his own eyes.
If President Trump decides not to run for reelection in 2020—or instead runs wins reelection in 2020—then, sooner or later, Vice President Mike Pence could certainly become the 46th President of the United States. So let's hope Pence isn't (still?) as bad as you think...