Pence is hitting the road to defend vulnerable midterm Republicans threatened by Trump's ongoing scandals

(Image credit: SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images)

last updated 30 May 2017

Vice President Mike Pence is doing damage control this summer with his tour of swing states where Republicans face uphill battles in 2018. Some are also pointing out that Pence's tour could foreshadow his future political ambitions: "There's little question that Pence's aggressive travel schedule will pay dividends down the road should he eventually seek the presidency," Politico writes.

Officially, Pence is fighting to raise money and calm Republicans who are panicking over how ripples of President Trump's scandals could play out next November. "We are in for a turbulent campaign cycle, as nearly all parties in power face during a new president's first midterm," said George W. Bush's former deputy political director, Scott Jennings. "But the question is, do you shrink in the face of a tough cycle or do you fight like hell to hold on? And Pence is going to fight like hell, it seems, which will hopefully embolden every candidate out there."

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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.

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