Face to face with a brutal choice he asked himself: Was it right for him to replace Biden’s presidential Electors – approved by state legislatures – with Trump Electors (picked by Trump).

He knew, under the Constitution, a vice president couldn’t give Trump what he wanted – but he also knew telling Trump no was treading on shaky ground – seeing red Trump might send him into exile, a pariah.

Mike Pence told Trump no.

Steve Bannon branded Pence, ‘Judas Pence…a dead man walking.’

On stages, fuming, Trump roared Biden stole the election – nodding, falling in lockstep behind him, Republicans cheered.

Pence ran against Trump for president in the Republican primary, got nowhere. Now, an exile, he’s struggling to make a comeback.

Donald Trump rules the Republican Party. Newt Gingrich put it bluntly, ‘There’s no future in the Republican Party in being anti-Trump.’

Face pale, voice soft, muted, Mike Pence is no showman. But how many politicians have had the courage to stand up and do what’s right when they knew it could mean their ruin? Mike Pence showed a rare courage when he told Trump no. Can he come back? His chances look bleak. But in politics winds change – and the unexpected happens.