Former Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels will not launch a bid to retake his old office if Donald Trump taps Mike Pence, the current governor of the Hoosier State, to be his running mate.
“I think it is appropriate that I make plain today that, should there be a sudden need to name a new nominee for governor, I will not present myself as a candidate nor would I accept the nomination if offered,” Daniels, who spent eight years as governor before becoming the president of Purdue University, told the Journal & Courier on Thursday.
Daniels dodged reporters earlier this week when asked if he would launch a gubernatorial campaign should Pence forego seeking re-election to instead run as Trump’s vice presidential candidate.
“Since at this point the subject is entirely hypothetical, I just don’t see it as appropriate to comment. Sorry about that,” he said Tuesday.
Reports surfaced early on Thursday that Trump is set to choose Pence to join him on the Republican presidential ticket, following the candidate’s grueling apprentice-style audition process.
Pence would have to drop out of the governor’s race by Friday, according to Indiana law.
If Pence is chosen for the bottom of the GOP ticket, he will have ultimately beaten former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions for the coveted position.
