There is a trend of moderate conservatives justifying their vote for Trump by reasoning that Trump will have experienced establishment people around him to keep him under control — more specificaly Pence.
Before the VP pick was announced, it was reported throughout the media that Trump was looking for an experienced VP to assume the role of the president, while Trump assumes nothing more than the role of a spokesperson who has the bully pulpit. Many moderates/centrists/independents who are on the fence will be just fine with that concept — I am hearing it everywhere .
I suspect that was a strategic leak as part of their game plan: signal to fence sitters that the ‘crazy guy’ won’t be the one who has his finger on the nuke button anyway, all while drawing fire and attention away from the ‘establishment’ running mate — the one who fence sitters feel more comfortable with. Trump is a master of manipulating media focus by creating distractions.
If the Democratic Party wants to win in November they must attack Pence with just as much vigor as they attack Trump. Ignore Pence at your own risk.