Speaker Paul Ryan Confirms Gov. Mike Pence To Rally House GOP Sept. 13

Donald Trump’s running mate accepted an invitation from House Speaker Paul Ryan to address House Republicans Sept. 13 at the Capitol.

“Earlier in the year, Donald Trump spoke to the House Republican Conference and had a productive conversation with our members,” Ryan says in a statement announcing that Indiana Gov. Mike Pence confirmed the speaker’s invitation.

“We’re glad to welcome his running mate and our former colleague, Gov. Mike Pence, to do the same,” Ryan said. “Mike Pence is a great friend and a true conservative, and I’m grateful that he’s coming to rally our members down the homestretch.”

Pence and Ryan are both GOP nominees for vice-president–Ryan ran on the ticket in 2012 with W. Mitt Romney–and the two men were also honored as by Human Events as the Conservative of the Year, Pence in 2005 and Ryan for 2011. The award was “Man of the Year,” when it when to Pence, but it was changed to accommodate Sarah Palin’s award in 2008.

Writing up the Pence award in HE, Reagan economist and CNBC host Lawrence Kudlow wrote: “If the Republican majority in the Senate and House can somehow stave off a newly energized Democratic assault in the mid-term elections next November and preserve their governing status, they may well have Indiana congressman Mike Pence to thank.”

Pence was a man of the House until he returned back to the Hoosier State to run successfully for governor in 2012. The father of three lost his 2006 bid to succeed retiring Speaker Dennis Hastert (R.-Ill.) as the leader of House Republicans to Rep. John A. Boehner (R.-Ohio). But, in 2009 he came back to win election as chairman of the House GOP Conference, then the number three position in the Republican leadership. Hastert retired after the Republicans lost the majority in the 2006 midterms.

The friendship between Ryan and Pence also came into play when Pence endorsed Ryan in his primary fight against businessman Paul Nehlen.

Ryan, who introduced Pence at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, said, “Mike Pence has added tremendous value to Donald Trump’s campaign and House Republicans are excited to learn more about their plans to succeed in November and get our nation back on track.”