Fallin stands ready to serve as Trump's VP if asked

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Gov. Mary Fallin said she's had no direct contact with Donald Trump's presidential campaign about serving as his vice president, but made clear she's ready and willing if the New York billionaire decides he wants to add the two-term Republican governor to the ticket.

"I love America, and I'm willing to serve my nation," Fallin told The Associated Press in an interview last week. "And if I were to be asked to consider serving my nation in a capacity that would benefit the American people, I would certainly give it consideration.

"But I have not been asked to do that."

A two-term governor with deep roots in the Oklahoma Republican Party, Fallin has met with Trump several times, most recently a few weeks ago during a trip to New York with several other Republican governors. She said the topic of a potential vice presidential bid didn't come up.

"I did not have a one-on-one separate discussion with him," Fallin said. "It was just a general meeting of governors to have the opportunity to express concern about issues we hear about, and for us, frankly, to listen to him about what he hopes to do as president."

Fallin did not endorse any of the Republican presidential candidates this year, but quickly and publicly backed Trump once Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Ohio Gov. John Kasich dropped out of the race. She said that while she doesn't completely agree with Trump on every issue, she said the two of them share many of the same goals.

"You're never going to find the perfect candidate that says things exactly the way you want to say them or have the exact positions that you feel," Fallin said. "But I share the same passion that Donald Trump shares, and that is to make sure that ISIS never comes to America again and that we protect our nation, that we have a strong national defense. I want to make sure every American that wants a job has a job and can find a job, and that our children get the very best education possible and have the opportunity to succeed."

Fallin is expected to step onto the national stage this week in Cleveland ahead of the Republican National Convention that begins the following week. She is the national co-chair of the Republican Platform Committee, which is charged with overseeing modifications to the GOP platform. The 112 delegates on the committee will be charged with addressing proposed changes to the platform from subcommittees on the economy, national security, government reform, families, natural resources and constitutional law, Fallin said.

"The platform itself is a very important historical document," Fallin said. "It's a blueprint of conservative ideals and principles that our party stands for, that will be useful in guiding voters to know what the Republican Party stands for, and it's certainly important for the presidential nominee or any other Republican running for office."

Fallin plans to depart for Cleveland on Sunday and attend platform committee meetings Monday and Tuesday.

SEAN MURPHY, Associated Press

Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

The Gayly - 7/9/2016 @ 1:00 p.m. CDT.