3 times Gov. Mike Pence distanced himself from Donald Trump

Gov. Mike Pence has been a vocal supporter of Donald Trump since the billionaire businessman locked up the Republican presidential nomination with a win in Indiana's primary. Now, he's Trump's running mate.

But the conservative first-term Indiana governor hasn't always agreed with Trump's positions — in fact, he has publicly criticized them on at least three occasions.

Banning Muslims from entering the U.S.

In one of his most explosive proposals, Trump repeatedly has called for "a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States."

Pence, who himself opposed the resettling of Syrian refugees in Indiana, said Trump's position goes too far.

“Calls to ban Muslims from entering the U.S. are offensive and unconstitutional," Pence said on Twitter. “Our Constitution guarantees the free exercise of religion. The U.S. cannot discriminate on the basis of religion.”

Pence's spokesman Matt Lloyd later said the governor's call for a halt to settling Syrian refugees and Trump’s call for a ban on Muslims are different.

“The Constitution guarantees the free exercise of religion,” Lloyd said in a statement. “There is a distinct difference, however, when it comes to security issues when members of the Obama Administration’s intelligence community have said that ISIS has attempted to gain entry into the United States via the Syrian refugee program.”

Punishing women for illegal abortions

During an MSNBC town hall event in March, Trump told host Chris Matthews that "there has to be some form of punishment" for women who seek illegal abortions. The remark drew rebuke from those on both sides of the abortion debate and Trump recanted his comments later the same day.

Even Pence, who earlier that month had signed one of the most restrictive abortion measures in the nation, distanced himself from Trump's comments. His office issued a statement saying Pence  "does not agree" with Trump's comments.

"As someone who has embraced the pro-life position all of his life, he has a deep compassion for expected mothers and the unborn," the statement said. "The governor believes that it's important to focus on policies, as we advance the sanctity of life on those that are performing the abortions."

Strong faith shapes Mike Pence's politics

Attacks on federal judge

Trump repeatedly has criticized the federal judge presiding over class action lawsuits against Trump's now-defunct real estate school, Trump University. Trump called U.S. District Judge Gonzalo P. Curiel a "hater" and suggested he is biased because "he's a Mexican." Curiel was actually born in Indiana to immigrant parents.

When pressed, Pence said this past month he disagreed with Trump's attacks.

"Every American is entitled to a fair trial and an impartial judge, but of course I think those comments were inappropriate,” he said. “I don’t think it’s ever appropriate to question the partiality of the judge based on their ethnic background.”

When asked this past week about his disagreements with Trump, here's what Pence said: "I'm supporting Donald Trump not because I've agreed with everything that he's ever said. I've occasionally taken issue with things that he's said myself, and Republicans have every right to do that. But I think at the end of the day, it's important we come together around our nominee. And that we stand behind an individual who is going to stand by our military, stand by our veterans at home. He's going to get this economy moving again to its full potential."

Call IndyStar reporter Tony Cook at (317) 444-6081. Follow him on Twitter: @indystartony. 

Call IndyStar reporter Chelsea Schneider at (317) 444-6077. Follow her on Twitter: @IndyStarChelsea.