Mike Pence

Mike Pence profile,

Mike Pence
Member of theU.S. House of Representatives from Indiana's 6th district
Incumbent
Assumed office  January 3, 2003
Preceded by	Dan Burton
Member of theU.S. House of Representatives from Indiana's 2nd district
In office January 3, 2001 – January 3, 2003
Preceded by	David McIntosh
Succeeded by	Chris Chocola
Born	June 7, 1959 (age 51) Columbus, Indiana
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Karen Pence
Residence	Columbus, Indiana
Alma mater	Hanover College, Indiana University School of Law - Indianapolis
Occupation	attorney, talk show host
Religion	Evangelical Christian

Michael Richard "Mike" Pence (born June 7, 1959) is a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives for Indiana's 6th congressional district. He currently serves as Chairman of the House Republican Conference, a senior leadership position, for the 111th United States Congress. Pence's district covers much of Eastern Indiana.

Early life, education and career

Pence was born in Columbus, Indiana, one of six children. He attended Columbus North High School and graduated from Hanover College with a B.A. and the Indiana University School of Law - Bloomington with a J.D.. While at Hanover, Pence joined the Fraternity of Phi Gamma Delta, serving as his chapter's president.  After completing his education he was a practicing attorney and radio talk show host, based out of then WRCR-FM (now WIFE-FM), in Rushville, Indiana. He served as President of Indiana Policy Review.

U.S. House of Representatives

Committee assignments

Committee on Foreign Affairs

Subcommittee on Middle East and South Asia

Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe

Caucus associations

Ranking member of the Congressional Internet Caucus

The Congressional Internet Caucus works to "educate the Congress and the public about important Internet-related policy issues"

Co-Chair Congressional Task Force Against Anti-Semitism

The Congressional Task Force Against Anti-Semitism is a bipartisan caucus,formed in 2007 to "bring to light specific cases of anti-Semitism and educate Members of Congress, world leaders and citizens about the horrors that these cases pose on society".The CTFAS introduced legislation "condemning rising trends in anti-Semitic activity in the United States and abroad" in spring of 2009.

Political positions

He is the former chairman of the Republican Study Committee, a group of conservative House Republicans. He was succeeded in the 110th Congress by Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX). Pence describes himself as "a Christian, a conservative and a Republican, in that order." He has stated his support of Israel and its right to attack facilities in Iran to prevent them from developing nuclear weapons, has defended the actions of Israel in its use of deadly force in enforcing the blockade of Gaza and has referred to Israel as "America's most cherished ally" 

Civil Liberties

Pence staunchly opposes anti-semitism and is co-chair of the Congressional Task Force Against Anti-Semitism. In May 2007 Pence publicly opposed expanding federal hate crimes protection to include sexual orientation and gender identity. Insisting that the protection bill is "This legislation is unnecessary and bad public policy...the hate crimes bill is broad enough to encompass legitimate beliefs, and protecting the rights of freedom of speech and religion must be paramount in our minds."

Immigration reform

In June 2006, Pence unveiled a plan he describes as "no amnesty immigration reform" consisting of increased border security, followed by strict enforcement of laws against hiring illegal aliens, and a guest worker program. This guest worker program requires potential participants to apply from their home country to government-approved job placement agencies that match workers with employers who cannot find Americans for the job. The plan has received support from conservative leaders such as Dick Armey. Pat Buchanan described this as "stealth amnesty," claiming that it is merely a "one week vacation" for illegal immigrants to return to their home country to apply for jobs under the program. Others (Phyllis Schlafly and Tom Tancredo) have criticized Pence's plan.

Taxes

Pence voted for the tax cuts in 2001 (which were made into law with an expiration at the end of 2010) and 2003 yet advocates making them permanent, as well as the Partial Birth Abortion Ban and "Operation Offset" to counterbalance Hurricane Katrina spending. He has been a strong opponent of federal funding for elective abortions in accordance with the Hyde Amendment. He has voted against federal subsidies for embryonic stem cell research, and has cosponsored pork barrel spending reform. He was influential in the RSC's Top Ten Agenda for 2006.

Visit to Iraq

Pence is a staunch opponent of setting a public withdrawal date from Iraq. During an April 2007 visit to Baghdad, Pence and John McCain visited Shorja market, the site of a deadly attack in February, 2007, that claimed the lives of 61 people. During the visit, Pence and Senator John McCain were accompanied by General David Petreus. Pence and McCain described the visit as evidence that the security situation in Iraqi markets have improved. Pence said he was deeply moved by his ability to "mix and mingle unfettered among ordinary Iraqis" and to have tea and haggle over the price of a rug. The Shorja market, he said, was "like a normal outdoor market in Indiana in the summer time." The visit was criticized by the New York Times as giving a false indication of how secure the area was due to the extremely heavy security forces McCain brought with him. The visit to the market took place under large security including helicopters overhead.

Guantanamo Bay

Mike Pence is strongly opposed to shutting down Guantanamo Bay and trying the suspected terrorists in the US. He believes that trying detainees inside the United States puts “international public relations ahead of public safety and makes a mockery of American justice”. Pence believes that “the Obama administration must overturn this wrongheaded decision”.

As an alternative, Pence has said that the “enemy combatants” should be tried in a military tribunal.

Fairness Doctrine

Recently, Pence has urged House Democrats to sign onto a petition which would discharge the Broadcaster Freedom Act, a bill that would restore the Fairness Doctrine. Pence believes that the new act will "censor the airwaves of American talk radio and American Christian radio".

Online gambling

Pence is an advocate of a federal restrictions of online gambling. In 2006, he along with 34 others cosponsored H.R. 4411, the Goodlatte-Leach Internet Gambling Prohibition Act and H.R. 4777, the Internet Gambling Prohibition Act.

Political campaigns

Congressional campaigns

Pence ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 1988 and 1990, losing to longtime Democratic incumbent Phil Sharp with the direct endorsement of President Ronald Reagan. Many considered Pence's political future dead at that point.

In 2000, however, Pence was elected after six-year incumbent David McIntosh opted to run for governor of Indiana. His first term in Congress began in January 2001. The 6th District comprises all or portions of 19 counties in eastern Indiana, and was numbered as the 2nd District during his first term in Congress. He has been reelected four more times by comfortable margins. In the 2006 House elections, he defeated Democrat Barry Welsh. He was listed as one of the top ten legislators by Esquire magazine in 2008.

2010

See also: United States House of Representatives elections in Indiana, 2010#District 6

Pence had been encouraged by William Kristol of The Weekly Standard, among others, to run in 2010 against incumbent Democratic Senator Evan Bayh. Pence led Senator Bayh by a 3 point margin according to Rasmussen polling done on January 21 and 24, 2010.On January 26, 2010, in an open letter to friends and supporters through Facebook, Pence announced his decision not to run for the Senate; he cited his role in the Republican leadership and the belief that Republicans would win back the House in 2010 as his reasons for staying in the House of Representatives.

House Republican leadership campaigns

2006

On November 8, 2006, Mike Pence announced his candidacy for leader of the Republican Party (minority leader) in the United States House of Representatives.

Pence's release announcing his run for minority leader focused on a "return to the values" of the 1994 Republican Revolution. He said regarding the Contract with America: "Our opponents will say that the American people rejected our Republican vision. I say the American people didn't quit on the Contract with America, we did. And in so doing, we severed the bonds of trust between our party and millions of our most ardent supporters..."

Some political analysts, such as Robert D. Novak, say Pence benefited in the long run from the endorsement of numerous organizations and individuals aligned with the party's base. Some of those include Human Events, Laura Ingraham, and Rush Limbaugh. Ingraham stated on her show, "If there is a God in heaven, (Pence) will be the next House minority leader."Pence also received support from the Club for Growth, The Wall Street Journal and David Keene from the American Conservative Union.

On November 17, Pence lost to Representative John Boehner of Ohio by a vote of 168-27-1 (the one vote went to Representative Joe Barton of Texas).

2008

After defeating Rev. Barry Welsh in the 2008 House election, Pence was elected by his GOP colleagues to become the Republican Conference Chairman, the third-highest-ranking Republican leadership position. He ran unopposed and was elected unanimously. He is the first Representative from Indiana to hold a House leadership position since 1981.

Presidential campaigns

Mike Pence was mentioned as a possible candidate for President in 2008, but he didn't run. In June 2009, an MSNBC political blog listed him as one of a dozen or so possible Republican candidates for President in 2012. That month, the Des Moines Register reported that he planned to visit the Cedar Rapids, Iowa area in late July. Iowa has the first caucus in early 2012, before the primaries in other states. He also scheduled a visit to New Hampshire, home of the first presidential primary, in 2010. He has no plans yet to run for President and often lends off-hand vocal support for fellow Hoosier and friend Governor Mitch Daniels. In September 2010, Pence was the top choice for President in a straw poll conducted by the Value Voters Summit.

Personal life

Pence and his wife Karen have three children. Pence attends Community Church of Greenwood in Greenwood, Indiana.