Iowa GOP leaders like Pence pick

Top Republicans in Iowa praised Donald Trump's selection Friday of Indiana Gov. Mike Pence to be his running mate.

GOP Gov. Terry Branstad, who has long shown a preference for fellow governors on presidential tickets, called Pence a friend who has governed conservatively.

'Mike is an excellent choice for vice president and someone who will continue bringing Republicans together to defeat Hillary Clinton in November,” Branstad said in a statement.

Pence was to have been at a National Governors Association meeting in Des Moines this week, but as speculation swirled about whether he or two others - New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich - would be Trump's pick, he did not make an appearance.

Trump announced his selection Friday morning on Twitter and said there would be a news conference Saturday. Pence, 57, had backed Sen. Ted Cruz rather than Trump in the primaries. Cruz edged out Trump to win the Feb. 1. GOP caucus in Iowa,

U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, also praised Pence. He pointed to his executive experience and said Pence would satisfy most in the conservative movement.

Grassley also said his demeanor, which has been described as low key and quiet, is a plus for the ticket.

'His personal demeanor is going to modify somewhat the erratic demeanor of Trump,” Grassley said in Des Moines.

Pence, who is a favorite among some - but not all - social conservatives, has made stops in Iowa to raise money for the Iowa GOP and to stump for other candidates, including U.S. Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa.

Pence also has been mentioned previously as a possible presidential candidate himself, speculation that was stoked by a 2010 appearance at an Iowa Faith and Freedom event. He subsequently was in the state in 2014 for a fundraiser for Branstad.

Some religious conservatives have had doubts about Trump, and Pence's selection could help with that.

Luana Stoltenberg, a Davenport woman who long has been involved in the movement against abortion rights, said she had struggled with the idea of voting for Trump but planned to do so. Pence's selection, she said, makes her feel more comfortable.

'It gives me a little bit more peace to know that that's what he's shooting for,” Stoltenberg said Thursday, after news leaked that Pence was the likely selection but before Trump made an announcement. She called Pence a conservative who has 'stayed true to the cause.”

Shane Vander Hart, a conservative blogger and social media consultant who lives near Des Moines, called Pence a safe choice but said the Indiana governor draws a 'tepid” reaction from conservatives.

Vander Hart, who won't vote for Trump, said Pence has been 'wishy-washy” on religious liberty, as well as the Common Core education issue.

'I don't think he moves the needle much,” he said.

Pence angered some conservatives last year after he signed a law that critics argued would allow businesses there to refuse to serve gays and lesbians - only to approve revisions later following an uproar that included concerns the original law would hurt the state's economic climate.

Bob Vander Plaats, chief executive of the Family Leader, alluded to the episode as a high-profile stumble. But he added, 'I believe his heart is for religious liberty.”

Vander Plaats also praised Pence for his time in Congress - he served six terms beginning in 2001 - and as governor, elected in 2012. He said that Pence has surrounded himself with like-minded conservatives.

'It gives a very good indication to pro-family conservatives that he hears us,” he said of Trump's choice.

Democrats on Friday were critical of the choice.

Iowa Democratic Party Chair Andy McGuire, in a statement, said: 'Pence has a long career of embracing discriminatory policies and pushing forward legislation that only benefits corporations and the 1 percent.”

Erin Murphy of The Gazette-Lee Des Moines Bureau and James Q. Lynch of The Gazette contributed to this report.