Donald Trump Makes Vice Presidential Pick: It's Indiana Gov. Mike Pence

Donald Trump announced Friday morning that Indiana Gov. Mike Pence will be his vice presidential running mate.

The announcement concluded a whirlwind 24 hours during which Trump drummed up suspense for his choice, which reportedly came down to Pence, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich.

Pence is a staunch social conservative seen as a safe pick who will improve Trump's standing among establishment Republicans still leery about his nontraditional campaign. Pence was a U.S. representative for 10 years before being elected governor in 2012 and led the House Republican Conference from 2009 to 2011.

He formally withdrew from the state's 2016 governor's race Friday.

SEE ALSO: 5 Things To Know About Mike Pence, Donald Trump's Pick For Running Mate

Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, who was the target of some of Trump's sharpest blows during the Republican nomination process, praised the pick on Twitter.

House Speaker Paul Ryan was downright effusive in his praise for Pence.

"I love the guy, I love him — he's actually a buddy of mine," Ryan said on the Michael Medved radio show on Thursday, before Trump had made the pick official. "Mike and I served in Congress 12 years together, so we were allies on just about everything."

Sen. Lindsay Graham, a South Carolina Republican who has been highly critical of Trump, also thought Trump made the right choice.

"I like him a lot,” Graham told reporters on Capitol Hill Thursday. “He’s a real smart, solid choice.”

“There are a lot of other people he could have chosen, some not — ” Graham continued before trailing off. “I think that he’s a very good choice by Mr. Trump. I like Mike Pence.”

Reaction from the Hillary Clinton camp was predictably less enthusiastic.

If you had any doubts about Trump sticking with his dangerous plan for America, say hello to his VP pick. pic.twitter.com/xuFClfZeLi
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) July 15, 2016

The presumptive Democratic nominee's campaign released a statement shortly after the news broke of Pence's selection, calling him "the most extreme pick in a generation."

"By picking Mike Pence as his running mate, Donald Trump has doubled down on some of his most disturbing beliefs by choosing an incredible divisive and unpopular running mate known for supporting discriminatory politics and failed economic policies that favor millionaires and corporations over working families," said John Podesta, the chair of Hillary for America.

The DNC, via Twitter, called Pence "Another Trump," pointing out the Indiana governor's "anti-women, anti-LGBT, anti-education" record.

A Trump-Pence ticket has nothing to offer America. Pledge to vote against them: https://t.co/iPn5nZ1hch pic.twitter.com/mWKcOcjKp3
— The Democrats (@TheDemocrats) July 15, 2016

Trump had originally scheduled a press conference for Friday morning in Manhattan to make the pick but postponed the event after Thursday's attack in Nice, France, that left more than 80 people dead.

Speaking on CNN earlier Friday morning, Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort said Trump "thought what happened in France yesterday was so tragic. He emotionally reacted to it."

“It really bothered him to see that carnage, and he felt the pain of the people there," Manafort said. "He said it’s just not right to do something self-serving and political the morning after.”

Hours after the attack, Trump had appeared on Fox News to say he had not yet made a "final, final" decision, though several national news outlets had reported that Pence had been offered the position and accepted. Pence had also been seen landing in Teterboro, New Jersey, and being escorted to Manhattan.

Still, CNN and MSNBC reported, Trump still wasn't sure about the pick and spent Thursday night asking his top aides if there was still a way to get out of the decision.

[Photo: Gage Skidmore via Wikimedia Commons]