Anti-Trump Republicans praise Pence’s ‘effective’ performance in VP debate

Unlike Trump, who unraveled when Clinton escalated her attacks during last Monday’s presidential debate, Pence remained calm throughout his 90-minute debate against Kaine despite facing repeated interruptions from both the Democratic vice presidential candidate and the moderator, CBS News’ Elaine Quijano.

Those watching who have long opposed Trump said Pence showed a command of the issues and, in many cases, explained his running mate’s positions better than Trump himself.

Conservative commentator Erick Erickson, who plotted to deny Trump the nomination at the GOP convention in July, admitted that he had been wrong about Pence when he said the Indiana governor disqualified himself from potentially running for president in 2020 by joining Trump on the Republican ticket.

He later added:

Former Ted Cruz communications director and CNN contributor Amanda Carpenter said she could see herself purchasing a “Trump-Pence 2016” bumper sticker after watching Tuesday’s debate, though the she maintained that Trump’s name would have to be “crossed off of it.”

National Review columnist Jonah Goldberg, who has sparred with prominent Trump supporters like Sean Hannity over his refusal to support the GOP nominee, said Pence had won the debate “hands down.”

Stephen Hayes, a senior writer at The Weekly Standard who penned a column in March explaining why he can never support Trump, lauded Pence for going hard after Clinton. On several occassions during Tuesday’s debate, Pence criticized the former secretary of state’s private email practices and the pay-to-play scheme at her charitable foundation.