What I call populism is not America-first, patriotism, etc. It's the imaginary bull that he's going to bring back manufacturing jobs (dumb Rust Belt and PA resonate with that stuff), the anti-globalism, etc. Not immigration, not white iden y politics, etc.
Republicans don't have enough to win on their base alone (neither do the Dems). What won Trump the election can be resumed as the empty promises he made to the Rust Belt, which also resonate in places like PA, and barely squeaking by Florida.
Despite the fact that those people know Dennison is a fraud when it comes to that, Pence literally is your traditional Republican. He doesn't have the cred to pull off the anti-globalist meme or sell that bull from the get go. All those big media guys you listed were ready to roast Trump after the election, until he won.
I also think Florida was a state Shillary just lost herself for being a terrible candidate. Don't want to take anything away from Don, he won it fair and square, but 150k votes difference considering the damaged goods that was Shillary, I just feel a slightly less known candidate could've made up the difference. You also underestimate the effect of in bency, IMO, Pence running now would be much more complicated than coming off 8 years of Dems administration.
Obviously, all opinion, I respect yours, but I also have mine.