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Who Is Audrey Pence?

by Charlie Beckerman

Update: On Friday via one simple tweet, Donald Trump confirmed Indiana Gov. Mike Pence is his Vice Presidential running mate.

Earlier: With multiple media outlets reporting that Indiana Gov. Mike Pence is emerging as the victor of Donald Trump's veepstakes (though Camp Trump has not confirmed), Indiana's first family is finding itself similarly shoved into the national spotlight. This includes the governor’s younger daughter, Audrey Pence. So who is Audrey Pence, and how could she be a curveball if her father gets picked as Trump’s running mate?

The younger of Pence’s two daughters, Audrey, 21, describes herself as socially liberal, and has even voted split-ticket. In a story by WTHR-TV, Audrey said that her father supports her diverging views, saying “he tells me so many times, 'I am proud of you for having your own opinions and looking into things.'”

When asked if Audrey voted for her father in his 2012 bid for governor of Indiana, she replied, “Yes, I voted for him. I did vote for him. He proved himself to me.”

Whether her family loyalty will extend to casting a ballot for one of the most controversial and disliked GOP nominees in recent history remains to be seen. Rumors of Trump picking Pence have reached a fever pitch in recent days, but his political style diverges from that of the nominee.

TASOS KATOPODIS/AFP/Getty Images

Though Trump's official announcement isn't expected until Friday, multiple media outlets began reporting that Pence was emerging as Trump's pick for his vice presidential running mate on Thursday morning. The first-term governor was in a tight race for reelection, with some polls suggesting that the contest between Pence and Democrat John Gregg was a toss-up.

If Pence is indeed Trump's selection for VP, he must drop out of the governor's race, as Indiana law prohibits a candidate from appearing on both the gubernatorial ballot and the vice presidential ballot. Trump is expected to officially announce his VP pick tomorrow in New York.