I'm not so sure he would be the lesser evil in this case.  Trump is ineffective, mostly because he knows nothing about how politics works and doesn't seem capable of learning.  Pence has been in politics for years, and would probably be somewhat more effective.  Pence is also a religious zealot, couple that with him understanding our political system, and we have someone who could lay the groundwork for many laws that some would see as a Christian version of Sharia Law.

Personally, as much as it pains me to say it, I would rather we keep Trump as much of a buffoon as he is, rather than open the door to a religious zealot.