Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has selected Indiana Gov. Mike Pence to be his running mate. IndyStar has confirmed that Trump plans to announce Pence as his selection for vice president at a press conference that will be held Friday.
In Pence, Trump has added a social conservative who GOP strategists say will reassure rank-and-file Republicans that Trump can be trusted to pursue their interests, reports IndyStar. Veteran political observers say Pence, a former U.S. House member and chairman of the House Republican Conference, will provide a disciplined counter to Trump’s improvisational campaign style. Pence also brings fundraising power and credibility on a wide range of policy issues that are important to conservatives.
LGBT advocacy groups were quick to Trump’s selection of notoriously anti-LGBTQ Pence.
“In selecting Mike Pence, Donald Trump has picked a vice-presidential running mate who is best-known for a law that was so extremely anti-LGBTQ that businesses, organizations and major events threatened to flee Indiana in droves. One can only imagine what sort of impact this type of person might have on the lives of LGBTQ people across the country, and on our nation’s economy and future,” said Russell Roybal, deputy executive director, National LGBTQ Task Force Action Fund.
Victory Fund President and CEO Aisha C. Moodie-Mills released the following statement in response to the appointment:
“Donald Trump has launched indefensible attacks against women, immigrants, Muslims, and so many others, and today he opened a new offensive against LGBT people with his selection of Mike Pence as his running mate. Governor Pence has made a career out of singling out LGBT people for discrimination: supporting efforts to strip employment protections, deny recognition of our relationships, and prohibit courageous LGBT soldiers from serving openly in the military. Just last year, he signed legislation that gave restaurants, stores and other businesses permission to refuse service to LGBT people, inflicting heavy damage on his state’s economy and its workers.
“His nomination is a rallying cry for the LGBT community and our allies across the nation. There can be no more illusions about the Republican presidential ticket’s position on our equality. While we hope never to see a Trump-Pence administration, now more than ever our community must fight to elect LGBT candidates who can be our voice and defeat anti-LGBT legislation that may come our way in the future.”
The Human Rights Campaign published a snapshot on where Trump and Pence align on the issues:
On Marriage Equality
- Trump: Vowed to roll back nationwide marriage equality by appointing justices to the Supreme Court who would reverse nationwide marriage equality.
- Pence: Pence opposed the Supreme Court’s nationwide marriage equality ruling, saying, “Like many Hoosiers, I believe marriage is the union between one man and one woman…” Prior to that, he supported the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and after section 3 of DOMA, which barred legally married same-sex couple from having their marriages recognized by the federal government, was ruled unconstitutional, he urged amending the state of Indiana’s constitution to outlaw marriage equality.
On Non-Discrimination Protections
- Trump: Trump has committed to signing the so-called “First Amendment Defense Act,” a bill to enable taxpayer-funded discrimination against LGBTQ people in the federal government. Trump said at the Iowa Faith and Family Coalition, his priority as President would be to “preserve and protect our religious liberty.”
- Pence: While in Congress, Pence voted against the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. He opposed the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” by saying it would turn the military into “a backdrop for social experimentation.” He voted against the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, calling it a “radical social agenda.” As governor, his “right to discriminate” bill could have allowed businesses to discriminate and deny service to LGBTQ people because of who they are or whom they love.
On Transgender Equality
- Trump: When asked about laws like North Carolina’s deeply discriminatory HB2, Trump said he supported the law, saying, “I’m going with the state. The state, they know what’s going on, they see what’s happening and generally speaking I’m with the state on things like this. I’ve spoken with your governor, I’ve spoken with a lot of people and I’m going with the state.” Trump previously told Sean Hannity that when it comes to laws like North Carolina’s HB2, Trump said he would “leave it up to the states.”
- Pence: Opposed guidance from the Department of Education that clarifies that transgender students have a right under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 to access restrooms consistent with their gender identity, saying, “The federal government has no business getting involved in issues of this nature.”
