Friday, July 15, 2016

Donald Trump Picking Anti-LGBT Indiana Governor Mike Pence As Running Mate

Pence backed Indiana's law allowing anti-LGBT discrimination on religious grounds.
From: NewNowNext
Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump will announce Indiana Governor Mike Pence as his running mate, reports the Indianapolis Star.

Pence is expected to drop his re-election bid to go on the campaign trail with the Donald, and presumably appear with him at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland.

While Trump has been hard to pin down on LGBT rights, Pence is firmly in the more reactionary wing of the Republican Party.

Last year, Pence signed into law a measure that allowed businesses and individuals in Indiana to deny services to LGBT people—or anyone else, for that matter—under the guise of “religious freedom.”

“The legislation, SB 101, is about respecting and reassuring Hoosiers that their religious freedoms are intact,” said Pence in a statement at the time. “I strongly support the legislation and applaud the members of the General Assembly for their work on this important issue.”

In his 2000 election campaign, Pence stated that money from the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program should go to organizations “which provide assistance to those seeking to change their sexual behavior.”

Other candidates whose names were floated as possible vice-presidential nominees included former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie. Senators Bob Corker of Tennessee and Joni Ernst of Iowa withdrew their name from consideration.

Pence, a former member of the House of Representatives and chairman of the House Republican Conference , appeared at Trump rally on Tuesday, where he compared the reality TV star/real estate mogul to Ronald Reagan. The two men dined together with their families that night.

It’s worth noting the last time we had a VP from Indiana, it was Dan Quayle. Take from that what you will.

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