Washington (AFP) – Mike Pence, a devout evangelical Christian and stalwart of the American right, is being tipped as a likely Donald Trump running mate in November — but the two men have not always seen eye-to-eye.
Here are a few of the positions taken by the 57-year-old, who has been governor of the Midwestern state of Indiana since 2013.
Abortion
“By enacting this legislation, we take an important step in protecting the unborn, while still providing an exception for the life of the mother. I sign this legislation with a prayer that God would continue to bless these precious children, mothers and families.”
A longtime foe of abortion since his days as a US lawmaker, Pence in March signed restrictive new measures into law, making Indiana only the second US state to prohibit terminating pregnancies because the fetus suffers abnormalities.
LGBT Rights
“I believe marriage is the union between one man and one woman, and I am disappointed that the Supreme Court failed to recognize the historic role of the states in setting marriage policy in this country. Nevertheless, our Administration will continue to uphold the rule of law and abide by the ruling of the Court in this case.”
A steadfast opponent of gay marriage, Pence publicly expressed dismay at the US Supreme Court’s decision last year to legalize it.
He also drew the ire of activists in March 2015 by enacting a so-called religious liberty law which critics said would permit businesses to refuse to serve gay customers.
“This bill is not about discrimination,” Pence was quoted as saying at the time. “And if I thought it legalized discrimination, I would have vetoed it.”
Protectionism
“Trade means jobs but trade also means security. The time has come for all of us to urge the swift adoption of the Trans-Pacific Partnership.”
This September 2014 tweet reveals one of the basic disagreements between Pence and Trump. The presumptive Republican nominee, a protectionist, has denounced the free trade agreement signed by the United States with 11 other countries in the Asia-Pacific region as a threat to American jobs. Pence, on the other hand, adheres to the laissez-faire economic views that are more conventionally Republican.
Muslims
“Calls to ban Muslims from entering the US are offensive and unconstitutional.”
Pence has strongly denounced Trump’s proposal last December to close the US borders to Muslims. He downplayed the disagreement this week when questioned by reporters, saying:
“I’ve taken issue with our candidates from time to time but I’m supporting Donald Trump to be president of the United States of America”
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