Mike Pence: It’s time for Republicans to come home

As he prepares to head to deep-red Utah to shore up conservative support, GOP vice presidential nominee Mike Pence says it’s time for Republicans to “come home” and unite behind Donald Trump.

Mr. Pence said Mr. Trump’s “100 day” agenda gives people a place to go.

“Hopefully it also gives some Republicans a place to go who aren’t quite there with us yet,” Mr. Pence said on Monday’s “Hannity” program on Fox News. “It’s time for Republicans to come home.

“We’ve got support from independents. We’ve got support from many Democrats. But…it’s time for Republicans to come home and come together, elect Donald Trump, re-elect Republican majorities in the House and turn this country around,” he said.

As part of the effort to coalesce Republican support, Mr. Pence is scheduled to campaign on Wednesday in Utah, which has consistently voted for the GOP presidential candidate since the 1960s. Independent conservative candidate Evan McMullin has been surging in the polls there recently and is threatening to eat into Mr. Trump’s base support.

“The only poll that matters is going to be finished on November the 8th,” Mr. Pence said, while also saying Mr. Trump is leading in a few national polls.

“There’s an enthusiasm on the ground like I’ve never seen in my lifetime,” he said.

Still, 57 percent of Republicans and GOP-leaning voters said their party is divided and will not unite by November, according to an online NBC News/SurveyMonkey poll released Tuesday.

Close to two-thirds, 63 percent, said the Republican party needs to unite behind Mr. Trump for him to win, while 34 percent said the GOP nominee can win without the support of a united Republican party.

Sixty-three percent also said they trust Mr. Trump over House Speaker Paul D. Ryan to lead the Republican party, compared to 34 percent who chose Mr. Ryan over Mr. Trump.

Mr. Ryan has endorsed Mr. Trump, but has kept him at arms length and has indicated he plans to focus more on down-ballot races.