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<p>WASHINGTON (AP) &#8212; Donald Trump is on the verge of picking his vice presidential running mate, with top contenders told to expect a decision as early as Thursday afternoon.</p><p>On Trump&#8217;s shortlist: Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, according to people familiar with the candidate&#8217;s thinking.</p><p>Pence quickly exited a speaking event in Indianapolis Thursday morning without taking questions from reporters. His staff has not released details of any other planned appearances Thursday.</p><p>All three of the finalists have had extensive conversations with Trump and his family in recent days.</p><p>Gingrich told The Associated Press he was expecting to hear from Trump one way or the other sometime after 1 p.m. The former Georgia congressman praised Trump for running a &#8220;very fair, open process&#8221; and said he looked forward to learning the businessman&#8217;s decision.</p><p>Gingrich later posted on Facebook that he would hold a live chat at 2 p.m. about the &#8220;vice presidential picks and the VP selection process.&#8221;</p><p>Trump and his new running mate will make their first appearance as a team Friday in New York. The timing is aimed at energizing Republicans ahead of next week&#8217;s Republican convention in Cleveland.</p><p>Shortly after noon, Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort wrote on Twitter that the decision &#8220;will be made in the near future.&#8221;</p><p>Each of Trump&#8217;s top contenders would add significant political experience to the GOP ticket. Trump, a political novice, has said for weeks that he wanted a running mate who could help him work with Congress.</p><p>Beyond their political backgrounds, the finalists bring different strengths to the ticket.</p><p>Pence, 57, is a steady, staunch conservative who would help calm nervous Republican wary of Trump&#8217;s impulsive style. He served six terms in Congress before becoming Indiana governor. He also has deep ties to evangelical Christians and other conservatives, particularly after signing a law last year that critics said would have allowed businesses to deny service to gay people for religious reasons.</p><p>Trump took notice of Pence during the Indiana primary, noting that the governor had high praise for him despite endorsing one of his rivals.</p><p>Gingrich is a boisterous rabble-rouser who has spent decades in Washington and helped define the political battles of the 1990s. The 73-year-old would be the oldest candidate ever to become vice president.</p><p>Gingrich has been a steadfast Trump defender for months and has become a trusted adviser to the businessman.</p><p>So, too, has Christie. The New Jersey governor quickly endorsed Trump after ending his own presidential bid, stunning many of his supporters.</p><p>A former U.S. attorney, Christie, 53, is widely seen as one of his party&#8217;s most talented retail politicians and has proven himself a biting attack dog on the trail. He&#8217;s also become a valuable partner for Trump, joining him at events on the trail and taking on the important role of heading Trump&#8217;s transition planning.</p><p>___</p><p><em>AP writer Brian Slodysko in Indianapolis contributed to this report.</em></p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">In this photo taken July 11, 2016, Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump listens to a question during an interview in Virginia Beach, Va. In a summer of political and racial tumult, young Americans are in a dour mood: pessimistic about the fairness of the economic system, questioning the greatness of the U.S. and wondering about the effectiveness of how the nation picks its leaders. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)</div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_111376971-e9fed755ec0e4a009406539d11cca24f.jpg</photo0><caption0>In this photo taken July 11, 2016, Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump listens to a question during an interview in Virginia Beach, Va. In a summer of political and racial tumult, young Americans are in a dour mood: pessimistic about the fairness of the economic system, questioning the greatness of the U.S. and wondering about the effectiveness of how the nation picks its leaders. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)</caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_111376971-c3cd59feb61d47d4a9cf3cc42fefae85.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">FILE - In this July 6, 2016 file photo, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich speaks before introducing Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump during a campaign rally in Cincinnati. Fox News says it is suspending its contributor agreement with Newt Gingrich &quot;due to the intense media speculation&quot; about him as a potential vice presidential candidate of Republican Donald Trump. He joined the network in 1999, and his role was suspended in 2011 when he ran for president in 2012. He returned to Fox in 2015. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)</div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_111376971-c3cd59feb61d47d4a9cf3cc42fefae85.jpg</photo1><caption1>FILE - In this July 6, 2016 file photo, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich speaks before introducing Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump during a campaign rally in Cincinnati. Fox News says it is suspending its contributor agreement with Newt Gingrich &quot;due to the intense media speculation&quot; about him as a potential vice presidential candidate of Republican Donald Trump. He joined the network in 1999, and his role was suspended in 2011 when he ran for president in 2012. He returned to Fox in 2015. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)</caption1><photoCredit1></photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_111376971-207cec6ebe024c43a542bca8072f4998.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Indiana Gov. Mike Pence speaks during the Innovation Showcase, Thursday, July 14, 2016, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)</div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_111376971-207cec6ebe024c43a542bca8072f4998.jpg</photo2><caption2>Indiana Gov. Mike Pence speaks during the Innovation Showcase, Thursday, July 14, 2016, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)</caption2><photoCredit2></photoCredit2></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By JULIE PACE</p><p>AP White House Correspondent</p></bylineMeta></div>

Trump nears VP decision; contenders holding their breath