(The Wall Street Journal) “Democratic strategists said it would backfire if Mr. Pence makes Indiana a focus, in part because he was at risk of losing his gubernatorial re-election campaign in 2016 before he was tapped as Mr. Trump’s running mate.”


WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.—Vice President Mike Pence, perennially in President Donald Trump’s shadow, figures to play an outsize role in the midterm elections next year, doling out campaign money and targeting districts that might not be as welcoming of the president, Republican strategists say.

In an unusual step for a sitting vice president, Mr. Pence is amassing a war chest through a political-action committee he created in May and has been giving money to Republican candidates who have embraced the White House agenda.

The Great America Committee, which has raised $2 million this year, is potentially a tool for Mr. Pence to shape the GOP field. A Republican opposing Mr. Pence’s brother in an Indiana primary complains that the group has hurt his campaign, though a committee spokesman said the PAC has done nothing inappropriate.

Click to continue reading. By Peter Nicholas, updated Dec 29, 2017.