Mike Pence Accepts Republican VP Nomination

It was supposed to be Mike Pence's night, his Republican national convention debut as running mate to presidential nominee Donald Trump.

Republicans voiced hopes earlier that his speech on Wednesday night would unite the party following a tense start to the gathering, but these hopes were dashed when former presidential candidate Ted Cruz encouraged Americans to “vote their conscience".

Earlier today, senior campaign manager Paul Manafort called the Indiana goveor "dogged," and "a man after Trump's own heart," saying his introduction to the American people tonight would "help us to accelerate the unification of the party in a real, meaningful way".

Instead, Pence's speech was overshadowed by Cruz, who, having refused to endorse the celebrity business tycoon, was booed by delegates on the third night of the convention in Cleveland, Al Jazeera reported. 

Pence was not Trump's first choice. Many pundits believe that the socially conservative goveor was chosen in the hopes that he may be able to get the Republican bigwigs to support this unlikely nominee. But apart from immigration reform, the two don't see eye to eye on much: on social security and Medicare, on trade agreements, and the war on Iraq.

While Pence – a former congressman – does add a layer of legislative prowess to a campaign that lacks it, his history has also been mired in controversy.

"Pence needs to demonstrate that he brings knowledge, measured judgement and gravitas to the ticket," said Frederick Clarkson, senior fellow at Political Research Associates, a social-justice think-tank.