As the VP rumor mill continues to swirl, it’s worth noting that part of Indiana Gov. Mike Pence’s appeal as a pick that would build bridges with conventional Republican officials is that Pence doesn’t necessarily agree with a lot of the innovative policy ideas Donald Trump has brought to the Republican Party.
For example, Pence said in late 2015 that banning Muslims from the United States would be both offensive and unconstitutional.
Calls to ban Muslims from entering the U.S. are offensive and unconstitutional.
— Governor Mike Pence (@GovPenceIN) December 8, 2015
He also offered a full-throated endorsement of the Trans-Pacific Partnership in 2014:
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
— Governor Mike Pence (@GovPenceIN) September 8, 2014
As a member of Congress, Pence was also a leading defender of the invasion of Iraq who became somewhat infamous for his insistence in 2007 that Baghdad was about as calm and peaceful as Indiana.