Residents of the Chevy Chase neighborhood in Washington D.C. have started decking out their houses with rainbow flags. Vice President-elect Mike Pence just began renting a house there, while waiting for the move to Number One Observatory Circle that he’ll make when Trump takes office in January. The flags are “a respectful message showing, in my case, my disagreement with some of his thinking,” said neighbor Ilse Heintzen to WJLA. She said that she has gay friends and that when one neighbor suggested hanging Pride flags on their houses, she joined in.

Residents on NW Washington Street where VP Elect Pence is renting a house are sending him a symbolic message. More residents may hang flags pic.twitter.com/fldYsMoP6i

— Suzanne Kennedy (@ABC7Suzanne) November 30, 2016

Pence has been criticized for his stance on LGBT rights, including his past support of conversion therapy. A wide range of influential groups, including the American Medical Association and the American Psychological Association, have denounced the practice. Over the weekend, Pence’s spokesman Marc Lotter denied that he ever was in favor of the practice. But a statement on his congressional campaign website from 2000 said that no federal funding should go to organizations that “celebrate and encourage the types of behaviors that facilitate the spreading of the HIV virus.” It said that “resources should be directed toward those institutions which provide assistance to those seeking to change their sexual behavior.”

In 2006, Pence supported a Constitutional amendment that would only recognize marriages between a man and a woman, and he said that same-sex marriage would lead to “societal collapse.” He was also in favor of the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy that prohibited military members from serving if they were openly gay. And Pence signed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act when he was governor of Indiana, which essentially allowed businesses to discriminate against LGBT people.

Many Americans are worried that the new government could overturn the progress the LGBT community has made in recent years. But D.C. isn’t going down without a fight. According to local media there are about six flags up in the D.C. neighborhood, but more are on the way. “I have no idea what [the Vice-President Elect] will think about, but I hope he will change his mind,” said Heintzen. “This is one way that I can show my disagreement.”

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

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The Republican National Convention–during which Donald Trump will presumably go from “presumptive” Republican nominee to the Republican nominee–is just a few days away. In anticipation, Trump is releasing his VP pick tomorrow. Sources today are saying that Indiana Governor Mike Pence is going to be that pick.

Who is Mike Pence?

Pence was elected governor of Indiana in 2012. He previously represented Indiana’s 6th District in Congress for six terms. He began his career in politics as a talk radio host, focusing on politics.

Why would Trump pick Pence?

Trump’s candidacy has been anything but orthodox, and his VP pick has been hotly anticipated. But what does Trump stand to gain by picking Pence?

Rallying the Social Conservatives

Pence is, without a doubt, a staunch social conservative. Fellow Law Streeter Alex Simone wrote a takedown of Pence back when he signed an incredibly restrictive abortion bill–women called Pence to update him on their menstrual cycles to protest the legislation. He also has a lot of social conservative street cred when it comes to his opposition to LGBT rights and his Christian background. Given that some of Trump’s social conservative positions have been questioned, Pence’s background may be part of the attraction.

More Friends 

Pence’s resume will also likely come in handy. Trump has been certainly running against the establishment, and while a lot of Republicans–including current Speaker of the House Paul Ryan–have fallen in line, Pence’s many friends on the Hill could still be a good get. Pence spent 12 years in the House, and reportedly remains deeply respected there. Representative John Carter, a Republican from Texas, told the Hill:

I’d be dancing in the aisles. He’s one of the best we’ve ever had in Congress. I’d love to see Mike Pence be the guy. It’d be awesome.

Regional Balance

Pence is from the Rust Belt–an area that Trump may need to rely on if he hopes to win the presidency. As Ronald Brownstein of the Atlantic put it during a more nuanced look at Donald Trump’s need for Rust Belt voters:

Large Rust Belt prizes such as Ohio, Iowa, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin would be indispensable for any Trump general-election bid because they offer him the best chance to tip states primarily by widening the GOP advantage among the blue-collar white voters who have keyed his advance in the Republican primaries.

A Different Public Presence

Trump’s unpredictability, passion, and willingness to piss anyone and everyone off have characterized his campaign. Pence, while described by some as a “firebrand,” is more of a practiced politician. He plays to his strengths–Adam Wren of Politico described him as having an “aw-shucks Hoosier persona.” That certainly stands in contrast to Trump’s New York accent and abrasive personality and could win more voters to Trump’s ticket.

So…is Trump/Pence set in stone?

Not quite. Trump isn’t set to announce his VP until tomorrow in New York. But according to “a Republican with direct knowledge of the decision,” it’s going to be Pence.

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

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The right-wing’s dynamic duo has arrived: after much speculation, Ted Cruz confirmed Wednesday at a rally in Indianapolis that former candidate Carly Fiorina would be his running mate. If this announcement seems premature, that’s because candidates don’t normally choose their number twos until after they have actually ensured their position as the nominee. However, as the outlook for Cruz’s nomination looks increasingly grim day by day, Fiorina may provide him with a much-needed (but probably too late) bump in the polls. The former HP executive endorsed Cruz after dropping out of the race in February, saying that he was the only candidate with the potential to beat Trump.

After this Tuesday’s round of primaries, where The Donald won victories in all five of the Republican contests, it’s looking more and more difficult to slow down the Trump train. In Wednesday’s rally, Cruz reiterated his confidence that no one would reach the 1,237 delegates needed to win the nomination, creating a contested convention.

The announcement also comes after Trump received criticism for accusing Hillary Clinton of using the “woman card” to secure votes. While Cruz’s speech didn’t address these comments directly, he hit hard on Fiorina’s accomplishments as a professional and said that she “shattered the glass ceiling.” Having Fiorina on the ticket stands in contrast to Trump’s comments, and could provide a compelling reason for female GOP voters to side with Cruz.

If I am nominated, I will run on a ticket with @carlyfiorina as my Vice President. Join us: https://t.co/sGy8idmZDEhttps://t.co/4RZxR2zlMz

— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) April 27, 2016

Another narrative that Cruz and Fiorina emphasized at the rally was the idea of Trump as a “Washington insider,” comparing him to Clinton and insisting that he was a “liberal” and lover of big government. Regarding the potential Trump-Clinton contest, Fiorina stated: “They’re not going to challenge the system; they are the system.”

For the Republican Party, Trump is looking more and more like the super-villain that can’t be beat, despite the fact that everyone is teaming up to bring him down. Earlier this week, Kasich and Cruz announced their plan to work together to weaken Trump’s lead and create a contested convention, but it seems like it might be too little, too late. Bringing down the relentless Trump machine may be too far out of reach at this point, but there’s certainly not a lack of trying.

Mariam Jaffery

Mariam was an Executive Assistant at Law Street Media and a native of Northern Virginia. She has a B.A. in International Affairs with a minor in Business Administration from George Washington University. Contact Mariam at mjaffery@lawstreetmedia.com.

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