“People are really excited today,” Hensarling said. “A lot of people have had doubts, but on the most important decision Donald Trump has made to date and probably will make, he just hit it out of the park. A lot of people are feeling far more comfortable now as far as the support, having someone like Mike Pence, whose political compass always points true north and [who] knows how to work with Congress. I just think there’s a whole lot of excitement, and a whole lot of the anxiety has gone way down.”…

“The process by which he was chosen was orderly, thoughtful and reasonably well-executed,” the leader said, “and that does assure a lot of donors and Republican opinion leaders who think the Trump campaign and Trump himself couldn’t organize a bake sale.”

Republicans likely will also welcome Pence as a bridge between candidates in tight races and the presidential ticket, giving the Trump campaign the satisfaction of engaging down the ballot, but insulating at-risk senators from Trump’s polarizing brand.

Pence “could allow these candidates to do a partial embrace that threads the needle,” said the conservative group official. “If you’re (Wisconsin Sen.) Ron Johnson, it’s OK to stand next to Mike Pence, most likely.”