iStock/Thinkstock(WASHINGTON) — Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, the GOP vice presidential nominee, met with House Republicans Tuesday morning in what he said was “an emotional return” to a group that he was once a member of for six terms in Congress.
“We’re honored to have our friend and colleague Tuesday with us who we believe is going to be the next vice president of the United States, Mike Pence joined us today,” House Speaker Paul Ryan told reporters, emerging from the Capitol Hill meeting with Pence and Republican leadership at his side. “We feel the wind at our backs and getting this agenda and move it into law.”
While Ryan’s relationship with Pence’s running-mate Donald Trump has been spotty over the course of the campaign, with Ryan publicly splitting on key positions with Trump at times, Pence had only words of admiration for the House Speaker Tuesday and complimented his “A Better Way” agenda.
“I particularly want to express my appreciation to speaker Paul Ryan,” Pence said. “His development of the Better Way agenda so aligns with Donald Trump’s vision to make America great again.”
Pence also had breakfast with Ryan prior to this morning’s conference meeting, according to a Ryan aide. He is also set to meet with Senate Republicans today before a Trump fundraiser at the Capitol Hill Club.
Asked about Ryan’s previous denunciations of Trump, Pence acknowledged that there have been at times some “differences of opinion” but that his and Trump’s “respect and admiration” for Ryan is “boundless.”
“Look, you’re going to have in the majority party, occasionally have differences of opinion but our goals are identical. I think what was so inspiring to me to be at the Republican conference today and the meeting I had this morning with the speaker is how much consistency there is between Donald Trump’s vision,” he said.
Sources in the room Pence was greeted warmly by House Republicans in the meeting and that he discussed the importance of their agenda and campaign in their districts across the country, while sharing details of his selection as Trump’s running-mate.
Pence served in the House for more than a decade before running for governor of Indiana. He remains close with many of the conservative members of the lower chamber.
Since joining Trump’s ticket, Pence has served as an intermediary between the controversial nominee and the Republican establishment, helping to mend frayed relationships after the GOP presidential primary season.
“In many ways he’s sort of the anti-Trump, he has a strong record as a strong conservative,” Rep. Luke Messer, R-Ind., told ABC News at the time of Pence’s selection.
In his role as Trump’s running mate, Pence has taken positions at odds with his record on Capitol Hill.
The one-time free trade supporter who called for expanding the North American Free Trade Agreement is now backing a presidential candidate who has relentlessly hammered the deal.
Trump held a similar summit with Hill Republicans in early July, but many members left skeptical after hearing Trump’s promises to campaign in deep-blue states and comments about his popularity among minority groups.
“I heard nothing new,” Rep. Charlie Dent, R-Pa., who is not planning to support Trump, said after the meeting.
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