Pence will seek to shape Trump's policy agenda

Significance

Given President Donald Trump's lack of strong ties to Washington, Pence -- despite the limited formal responsibilities of his position -- is anticipated to play a pivotal role in the new administration. To compensate for Trump's lack of experience with policy-making and sometimes-fraught ties with the Republican leadership in Congress, Pence could play a large role in advancing the president's domestic policy agenda.

Impacts

• An unexpectedly poor 2018 midterms result could unravel the current array of conservative forces backing the Trump White House.
• Ryan's hard-line conservative foes in the House Freedom Caucus could topple him in policy disputes and rob Pence of a potential ally.
• Pence's political influence will grow when the midterms approach and the electoral imperative to connect with social conservatives renews.