Republican vice presidential nominee Mike Pence will introduce himself to an electorate still largely unfamiliar with him when he takes the stage at the Republican National Convention Wednesday night.
Despite an impressive resume that includes both experience as the current governor of Indiana and more than a decade in Congress, Pence is still an unknown figure -- even to some in his own party. The latest NBC|SurveyMonkey poll found 48 percent of voters don’t know enough about him to have a favorable or unfavorable opinion.
That’s why, sources familiar with the governor’s speech say, his remarks will be a chance to “introduce him to the country.”
And though he is expected to pick up the conventions most prominent theme, the case against Hillary Clinton, the midwesterner is expected to be intentionally polite and mild mannered throughout his delivery.
Related: Trump's VP Pick Mike Pence Unknown to Most Voters
Pence’s style is a clear contrast to Donald Trump’s brashness. As a team, Trump’s allies hope Pence provides a balance to calm conservatives still on the fence about the GOP’s presidential nominee.
The governor, who is popular among social conservatives, is also expected to talk openly about his faith to help bolster enthusiasm from Evangelical voters. And he is also set to hit on something that has been noticably lacking in the first two days of the convention -- talk about Trump and why he would be an effective president.
The high-profile address is a chance to reset what has been a rocky vice presidential rollout.
Since being announced as Trump’s vice president on Saturday, the country has heard little from Pence. He was overshadowed by Trump during his rollout event in New York where he spoke just half as long as the real estate mogul.
Their interview on CBS’ “60 Minutes” came off equally as awkward as Trump dominated the conversation, and was followed by reports that Trump had second thoughts even after his pick was made.
