Donald Trump will reportedly pick the Indiana Governor to be his running mate as vice president in the general election, and here is EVERYTHING you need to know about governor!
Mike Pence, 57, Indiana Governor and attorney, may be walking into the White House, as Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, 70, will reportedly pick the attorney to run with him on his party’s ticket in the general election as vice president. We’re breaking down everything we know about the the Indiana native.
1. Mike was born in his native Indiana, to a family who ran a string of gas stations, and he was in a fraternity!
Mike, who was named after his grandfather from Ireland, came from a family of Irish Catholic Democrats. He is one of six children, and went on to earn his B.A. in History from Hanover College. He then earned a J.D. from the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law, where he was the President of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity.
2. Although Mike has repeatedly spoken very highly of Trump, he has endorsed Senator Ted Cruz in his state’s primary.
If things worked out the way Ted originally planned, we may not even be talking about Donald making a run toward the White House with Mike by his side! Mike originally endorsed Ted April 29, just days before a primary that could’ve knocked the Donald out of whack for race to the Republican presidential Nomination. “I’m not against anybody, but I will be voting for Ted Cruz in the Republican primary,” Mike once said.
BUT, we can’t be fast to discredit Mike, as he was quick to compliment Donald as well. He commended the now, Republican nominee and encouraged Indiana voters to “make up their own minds.” He continued, “Let me be very clear on this race: Whoever wins the Republican nation for president of the United States, I’m going to work my heart out to get elected this fall.”
3. The senator has dedicated supporters and is very well-liked from his past terms, but he’s up for reelection and it’s a tight race!
Mike has served six terms representing Indiana. “He’s still beloved by many of his former colleagues on Capitol Hill, where he transitioned from a Tea Party-style Republican insurgent to a leader in his party,” The Hill reveals.
But, Mike is in a tight race for reelection to hold onto his governorship. Recent polls show him just a few points ahead of his Democratic opponent John Gregg.
Donald Trump — PICS
4. He’s a profoundly religious Christian, who is a social conservative. And, he’s very well-linked to the Republican national fundraising network!
It looks like Mike is the missing piece to Donald’s Presidential Puzzle. “Pence is a staunch social conservative and devout evangelical Christian who would be a hit at the Republican convention,” The Hill details. This could be a perfect fit for Donald, “who has struggled to convince skeptical Christian conservatives that he is on their side.” Mike is even well-connected in the fundraising world from his time on Capitol Hill. “He has deep ties to the network of groups run by billionaire GOP donors Charles and David Koch,” the site reports.
However, could this pairing lead to more controversy surrounding the Trump campaign when it comes to topics like gay rights and same-sex marriage? Mike’s most recent legislation, the “religious objections” bill, caused an uproar by people and groups who felt the law would permit LGBT discrimination. “Pence has been pushing measures to limit the social impact of the LGBT community since his time in the House,” The Hill notes.
5. Mike is an all American family man.
He and his wife, Karen Pence, a former school teacher, have been happily married since 1985. The pair share three children together: Michael (their eldest), a Marine Corps officer, Charlotte and Audrey (their youngest), who of which The Hill notes has spoken about how she holds socially liberal views at odds with her father. Mike is a proud Hoosier, who rides horses as seen on his Instagram page filled with family pics and fun outings. And, he’s also active on Twitter! SO social media savvy.
We should point out that Mike can’t run for both vice president and governor at the same exact time. So, which one will he chose? Only time will tell. Stay right here for updates on all things Mike Pence, guys!
HollywoodLifers, what do you think of Donald’s potential VP pick? Tell us what you think in the comments below!
