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Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, Donald Trump's choice for vice president, has executive experience and conservative policy accomplishments that should appeal to Minnesota voters, state GOP chair Keith Downey said.

Trump on Friday announced on Twitter that Pence 

 in the 2016 presidential race. The nominations of both men top the docket for next week's Republican National Convention in Cleveland.

"Mike Pence has Midwestern values," Downey said, adding that Pence "governs a state that's not that dissimilar from Minnesota" and has "a great, proven track record."

Presumed Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton has yet to make a vice presidential choice.

Minnesota House Speaker Kurt Daudt was reluctant to give an appraisal of Trump’s selection, when asked by reporters.

“I don’t know a lot about Gov. Pence, but I think initially, at face value, it sounds like a good choice,” Daudt said.

Minnesota DFL chair Ken Martin was highly critical of the pick. In a written statement, Martin accused Pence of hurting Indiana families with “disastrous policies.”

“Pence has cut corporate taxes by nearly 25 percent, opposed raising the minimum wage, championed one of the country’s most outrageous abortion bans, and signed Indiana’s extreme anti-LGBT law,” Martin said. “A Donald Trump-Mike Pence administration would drag our country backwards and leave families worse off.”

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Brian Bakst

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Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, Donald Trump's choice for vice president, has executive experience and conservative policy accomplishments that should appeal to Minnesota voters, state Republican Party chair Keith Downey said.

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