CLEVELAND – Republican vice presidential nominee Mike Pence urged conservatives to back the party’s presidential candidate, Donald Trump, on Wednesday night while introducing himself to much of the country as a “Christian,  a conservative, and a Republican – in that order.”

Pence, the Indiana governor, drew loud cheers while touting the tax cuts and budget surplus he achieved in the state.

“That’s what you can do with common-sense Republican leadership,” he said.

The speech marked Pence’s first widespread, national exposure during the campaign, and was seen as a way to bolster Trump, who has been viewed skeptically by some conservatives and evangelicals.

Pence, on the other hand, has strong conservative credentials. During his time in Congress, before becoming governor in 2012, he repeatedly called for taking away federal funding for Planned Parenthood.

He said he would “pray daily for a wise and discerning heart” to govern.

As governor, Pence angered women’s groups for signing into law restrictions on abortions. He lagged behind Democratic challenger John Gregg in polls of likely women voters in Indiana’s gubernatorial race.

He also alienated gay and lesbian groups by signing a law exempting businesses from lawsuits based on religious liberty – a move seen as potentially allowing discrimination against gays.

Prior to Pence’s speech, former Indiana state Republican Chairman Michael McDaniel said he hoped Pence would “bring conservatives who don’t know him to support the ticket – because it’s critical they do it.”

If they don’t, he said, a victory by the Democrats’ nominee “would just be a third Obama term.”

Pence alluded to the goal of coalescing behind Trump after a tough primary campaign when he told delegates that a united party “has his back.”

While introducing Pence, House Speaker Paul Ryan called him a “Reagan conservative through and through” who “comes from the heart of the conservative movement and the heart of America.”

Invoking a line by the conservative icon and former president, Pence said the nation has another “rendezvous with destiny.”

Pence played to conservatives in criticizing President Barack Obama for taking “unconstitutional actions” through his use of executive action on immigration and gun control.

He reminded voters the next president will nominate justices to the U.S. Supreme Court, and he said Trump would defeat ISIS and “restore law and order.”  

Pence, whose mild-mannered personae is seen as a contrast to Trump’s sometimes bombastic image, flipped the contrast during his speech.

He said Trump is known for his “charisma” and “large personality.” Pence quipped that he was selected to be running mate because Trump was “just looking for some balance.”

Picking up on the dissatisfaction with the political establishment that’s fueled support for Trump, Pence said voters are “tired of being told by politicians from both parties, we’ll get to that tomorrow,” as the national debt grows.

Taking on Hillary Clinton, he called the presumed Democratic nominee the “Secretary of the Status quo.”

Kery Murakami is the Washington, D.C. reporter for CNHI’s newspapers and websites. Reach him at kmurakami@cnhi.com