Pence endorses McCain, Ayotte

By Cassie Spodak, CNN
Updated 7:56 PM ET, Thu August 4, 2016

(CNN)Indiana Gov. Mike Pence offered his support Thursday to Republican Sens. John McCain and Kelly Ayotte, days after his running mate, Donald Trump, refused to endorse the embattled Republican senators.

Hours earlier Thursday, Pence set off alarms inside the Republican establishment when he declined to back the senators from Arizona and New Hampshire.

"I look forward to supporting Republican candidates in the days and weeks ahead all over the country, and so does Donald Trump," Pence said on his campaign plane when asked directly by reporters if he would endorse McCain and Ayotte.

Pence senior adviser Marc Short, however, later told CNN the Indiana governor merely gave a "non-answer" and didn't intend to suggest he wasn't endorsing them.

On Tuesday, Trump sent shockwaves through the Republican Party when he declined to endorse McCain and Ayotte, as well as House Speaker Paul Ryan. Trump has feuded with McCain over the Arizona senator's handling of veterans issues and Ayotte has claimed she is not endorsing Trump, though she supports him.
The next day, Pence said he "strongly" endorsed Ryan. The Indiana governor said he had discussed his support of Ryan with Trump earlier in the day and that his running mate encouraged him to endorse the House speaker.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/08/04/politi...-kelly-ayotte/