In the lone debate held on Wednesday, Vice President Mike Pence faced his political opponent Kamala Harris from Democratic for the office. The deputy’s duties and succession powers have abruptly become of paramount value as President Donald Trump fights a coronavirus infection, with inputs from AFP.

 Pence, 61, a former congressman and Indiana governor, was nominated to be Trump’s running mate in 2016 and now stands ‘a heartbeat’ from the presidency in 2020.

He has become a prominent figure in the Republican party and is in pole position to win the GOP’s nomination for the 2024 election – but first he hopes to persuade Americans that Trump is the suitable leader to sit in the White House for the next four years.

The sedate Pence will confront one of the biggest nights of his political life as Americans contemplate the possibility of the behind-the-scenes expert being asked to assume the duties of the president — or even take the lead in an election race that has been almost completely about Trump.

It would be a great turning point for someone forced into the background during Trump’s direful and calamitous presidency.

“The stakes in this election have never been higher. The choice has never been clearer,” Pence said on Monday as he moved to Salt Lake City, Utah, site of his debate with California senator Harris, who is Democratic nominee and Joe Biden’s running mate.

“And I look forward to the opportunity to take our case to the American people for four more years of President Donald Trump,” he added.

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Four years ago, Democrat Hillary Clinton’s running mate Tim Kaine mocked Pence as “Trump’s apprentice” during their debate, but the Republican exhibited a more polished performance than his rival.

Pence and Harris have both tested negative for the novel coronavirus since Trump’s positive diagnosis on Friday. But they are intensely divided in their response to the virus that has killed more than 210,000 Americans.

Harris, 55, wears a face-covering in public, while Pence hews more to Trump’s mask-less approach, including at a recent Rose Garden ceremony attended by several administration officials and lawmakers who have since tested positive.

Pence has been a key to Trump’s administration, a pillar of stability and strength in a White House that has churned through top officials, and a magnet for a part of the Republican base dubious of the fickle New York real estate tycoon.

The white-haired 61-year-old brought credibility as a traditional evangelical Christian who could request to church-going Americans and farm-belt conservatives.

The yin to the president’s yang: where Trump is boisterous and offensive while Pence is taciturn and mannerly and Trump flouts ethics, on the other side, Pence is deeply pious.

Where Trump’s life has featured three wives and many more girlfriends, Pence is famous for conforming by a Christian rule that disallows him from being alone with any woman who is not his wife.

After taking office, Pence let Trump to take the entire stage.

He toiled quietly on significant jobs such as connecting with Congress and Republicans and undertaking important diplomatic missions.

And he smoothly adapted his earlier political stances to Trump’s china-shop-smashing approach to trade, diplomatic relations and immigration.

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Pence stayed a team player, never betraying differences with Trump or promoting himself — sins that cut short the careers of others in Trump’s Cabinet.

That didn’t change in March when Pence was named as the public face of the White House coronavirus task force.

Echoing Pence’s own personality, the scientist-heavy group’s daily briefings sought to introduce calm, clarity and rigour to public information — but only until Trump hijacked them and undermined their messages about social distancing, face masks and treatments.

Pence’s motive has never been vivid. Has he been, like many vice presidents, biding his time for his own shot at the presidency?

Or does he tolerate Trump, like many Republicans, because in his position he can enhance the social conservatives’ agenda?

Earlier this year, there was speculation that Trump — facing an uphill battle for reelection — would replace Pence with someone who might encourage more voters, such as former UN ambassador Nikki Haley or Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

In the end, the odd couple stuck together, with Trump hailing his number two as “solid as a rock” in August.