NCAA Tournament 2017: Vice President Pence cancels Sweet 16 trip to stay in D.C.

Pence was scheduled to attend Friday night's Sweet 16 game between North Carolina and Butler

Vice President Mike Pence was originally planning to be on hand to watch Butler take on No. 1 seed North Carolina on Friday night, but professional obligations have bumped the Sweet 16 from his schedule altogether.

According to USA Today, Pence is postponing his trips to Memphis and Little Rock to stay in Washington. He is working with President Donald Trump as the House of Representative works on Republican plan to replace Obamacare -- with a vote reportedly set to take place on Friday.

Pence, the 50th Governor of Indiana, earned a J.D. Degree from Indiana University. But his wife, Karen, graduated from Butler, and his ties to the Hoosier State obviously run deep.

No. 4 seed Butler is a 7-point underdog to North Carolina, according to Vegas Insider. The Bulldogs are seeking their first Elite Eight appearance since 2011, when they fell to UConn in the national title game.