The choice of Pence was terrible, especially in terms of Trump's three biggies of restricting immigration, opposing globalist trade deals, and opposing nation-building interventions like Iraq (Pence voted for amnesty, supported TPP and voted for the Iraq war). The only two things that may redeem it is Trump chose him to fortify and energize social conservatives behind him (Pence is like picking Cruz, without the sleaziness or the constitutionally unqualified issues), and picking him shuts up the establishment donors, without changing the actual agenda Trump intends to pursue.
Trump may well have considered the matter of "assassination bait" involved in picking an establishment favorite, and deliberately picked the lamest and most unexciting one he could tolerate as his running mate, to neutralize the elite as much as possible. Pence is an evangelical, after all, and that factor is the real reason why the establishment did not warm up to Cruz in the primaries. The IN Governor also did not look like he was going fare well in his reelection, which does not fit the winning profile the elite wants in its Presidential figureheads. It is thus improbable that Pence (absent a barbell accident) will be ever following Trump as President, and reversing his policies.
