“The Republican Party has a deep bench of qualified vice presidential candidates,” said Michael Caputo, a former Trump adviser. “Some of them ring certain bells, and others ring other bells. I think Mike Pence rings the most bells of all.”

Pence, Caputo said, would bring executive experience, a respected congressional record and reassurance to conservatives who may be wary of Trump’s positions on several issues…

“Trump wants to choose somebody who has experience to get things done in Washington,” Caputo said. “Not only was (Pence) in Congress, he was a leader in Congress at a time when Republican leadership of Congress was still highly regarded. So that, plus being CEO of a company called Indiana, that means something to Donald Trump.”

Yet Trump also values unpredictability. That’s why Susan Del Percio, a Republican strategist in New York, thinks Trump is likely to pass over Pence despite what she regards as the Indiana governor’s upsides.