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#PenceWatch: ABC News says Mike Pence has accepted offer to be Trump's running mate

Trump family meets with Pence at governor's residence
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ABC News is reporting that the call has been made and the offer accepted: Gov. Mike Pence will be Donald Trump's running mate.

The announcement came shortly after 5 p.m., as Pence was reportedly on a plane headed for Teterboro Airport in New Jersey -- just over the Hudson River from New York City.

Pence has until Friday at noon to decide whether he will run for re-election as governor of Indiana.

While Trump is under no official timeline to declare a VP candidate, he has said his decision will be announced Friday at 11 a.m. in New York.

The timing works for the presumptive Republican presidential nominee as well, as the Republican National Convention begins Monday in Cleveland.

Here's the latest in our #PenceWatch coverage:

July 14, 8:00 p.m.: Trump tells Fox News he hasn't made a "final, final decision" on his running mate

July 14, 7:10 p.m.: Trump postpones Friday VP announcement due to deadly attack in France

July 14, 5:50 p.m.: Plane carrying Gov. Pence lands at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey

July 14, 5:15 p.m.: ABC News reports Gov. Mike Pence has accepted the offer to be Donald Trump's running mate.

July 14, 5 p.m.: Eagle Creek Airport tells RTV6 that Pence is not coming there. Still unclear if he left Indiana and from where.

July 14, 3:45 p.m.: MSNBC reports that reports Pence has been chosen as VP are 'premature'

July 14, 3:30 p.m.: Vehicles have left the Pence residence for Eagle Creek Airport. No word on who's inside.

July 14, 2:48 p.m.: No phone calls have yet been made to Pence from Trump campaign

July 14, 1:40 p.m.: ABC News reports sources of theirs say Trump is leaning toward Pence.

July 14, 1:05 p.m.: Indiana state auditor confirms Pence is Trump's VP

July 14, 12:40 p.m.: Governor Mike Pence seen shaking hands with Lt. Gov. Eric Holcomb as he was leaving the governor's residence. 

July 14, 12:36 p.m.: The New York Times backs up that Pence has been chosen as Trump's running mate in a report citing members of the Republican party in Washington.

July 14, 12:31 p.m.: Trump campaign refutes that a decision has been made on the VP choice.

July 14 12:10 p.m.: Donald Trump to choose Mike Pence, per report

July 14 Noon: More indications Pence could be Trump's VP

July 14 11:30 a.m.: Pence deputy campaign chief spotted on plane to New York 

July 14 10:30 a.m.: Pence announces $1 billion investment in innovation, entrepreneurship

Indiana will invest $1 billion to help spark new local ideas and companies, Gov. Mike Pence announced Thursday. 

The investment will be spread over the next 10 years.

Pence is requesting funding from the Indiana Public Retirement System and the General Assembly to go toward the 21Fund and a Venture Capital Investment tax credit.

"Indiana is ranked first in the Midwest for business and first in the nation for small business regulations, but we’re not done yet," Pence said in a release. "We must build on this economic momentum and increase collaboration between educators, community leaders, industry partners and most importantly, idea generators, to further propel innovation across the Hoosier state for generations to come.”

Depending on what happens Friday, Pence may not be in town to see the future of the investment. He's one of the final candidates to be Donald Trump's vice presidential choice.

The plan for the investment is to collaborate with government, education and research institutions. 

Pence announced the plan at the Innovation Showcase in Indianapolis. 

 

July 14 9:50 a.m.: WaPo: Mike Pence 'in trouble' if he's not picked for VP

Mike Pence has a lot to gain out of becoming vice president, but he also could have a lot to lose.

According to the Washington Post, Pence could be in "big trouble" if he's not chosen to be Donald Trump's running mate. 

Washington Post reporter James Hohmann said the reason Pence wants to be Trump's running mate so badly is because he could lose the election for governor -- that he wants to be "rescued" from having to run for reelection.

Hohmann wrote that Pence came across inauthentic and a little phony when he was in the House, and his hyperbole during Wednesday's rally only reinforces that idea.

In May, a poll showed that Pence and Democratic challenger John Gregg were within four percentage points of each other. With a margin of error of 4 percent, it makes the race a toss-up.

PREVIOUS | New poll shows Gregg-Pence race is neck-and-neck

Jared Leopold, of the Democratic Governors Association, said it would be hard for Pence to come back from not getting the VP nod.

“You've got to applaud Pence for putting it all on red and publicly begging to leave the governorship for VP,” he said. “But if he doesn't get picked, it's going to be hard for him to look Hoosiers in the eye in November and say he wants to be governor for four more years. This last week cements the perception that Pence has taken his eye off the ball as governor.”

July 14 8:50 a.m.: Trump's son calls VP decision 'one of most important decisions he'll ever make'

Those close to Donald Trump are saying he's taking the vice presidential choice very seriously. 

According to Politico, Donald Trump's son, Eric, said the decision might be one of the most important decisions he'll ever make. 

"I mean ... that’s how seriously he’s taking it," Eric Trump said. "I mean, he’s thought about it and thought about it and asked people for their guidance and taken so many different opinions, and now he’s really you know, it’s in his head, and he’ll make the decision very, very soon."

Eric Trump didn't give any clues to who his father will pick, saying it will be an "immensely, immensely capable person."

July 14 8:30 a.m.: Initial RNC speaker list doesn't include Pence

The initial list of speakers at the Republican National Convention is missing a certain vice presidential nominee (and Indiana governor).

Ind. Gov. Mike Pence's name was left off the list of speakers, while Newt Gingrich, N.J. Gov. Chris Christie and Ala. Sen. Jeff Sessions are all on the docket.

Also on the list are Pastor Mark Burns, Former N.Y. Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, Ben Carson, Fla. Gov. Rick Scott and Gov. Scott Walker.

Former IU coach Bob Knight is not on it, despite several references that he would be by Trump.

July 13: Washington Post says Trump VP decision coming Friday

Citing Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort, the Washington Post reports Trump will make his VP announcement Friday in New York City. Donald Trump himself then tweeted later in the evening, confirming that his pick would be announced at 11 a.m.

JULY 13: Donald Trump has separate meetings with Pence, Gingrich in Indianapolis

Trump and his family reportedly meet with Pence at the governor's mansion and with Newt Gingrich at the Conrad Hotel in downtown Indianapolis. Pence has until Friday to decide whether he will pull his name out of Indiana's governor's race.

JULY 12: Trump says "who the hell knows?" if Pence will be VP

At a campaign rally in Westfield, Trump plays coy with the speculation over Pence as his VP pick. The real estate mogul says he doesn't know if people will be calling Pence "governor or vice president" next year.

JULY 12: CNN reports Trump VP list down to Newt Gingrich & Mike Pence

Citing a "person very familiar with the deliberations," CNN says Pence has made the final cut to be Trump's VP pick. Pence joins Trump at a private fundraiser at the Columbia Club downtown, but no mention of a possible joint ticket is made.

JULY 11: Trump says VP pick coming in 'three to four days'

Conservative radio host and former Trump adviser Michael Caputo tweets that he would "put all his chips" on a Pence/VP announcement at Tuesday's rally. He turns out to be wrong.

JULY 10: Pence says he will join Donald Trump at Westfield rally

Gov. Pence confirms he will introduce Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Westfield, further fueling speculation that he remains a top contender to be Trump's VP pick.

JULY 8: Republicans line up to take Pence's spot on ballot

Amid rising speculation of a Trump-Pence GOP presidential ticket, nearly a dozen Indiana Republicans express interest in running for governor, including House Speaker Brian Bosman, Congresswoman Susan Brooks and Indiana GOP Chairman Jeff Cardwell.

JULY 7: AP reports Pence has raised $2.6M since April

Gov. Mike Pence reportedly has $7.4 million on hand to fund what could become one of the most expensive races in Indiana history.

Copyright 2016 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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