BIOGRAPHY OF GOVERNOR MIKE PENCE
Governor Mike Pence is a lifelong Hoosier with legal, small business, and public policy experience. He was elected the 50th Governor of the State of Indiana in 2012 and inaugurated January 14, 2013. Pence was born and raised in Columbus, Indiana, where he graduated from Columbus North High School. He graduated from Hanover College in 1981 and earned his J.D. from the Indiana University School of Law in 1986.
Prior to his election as governor, Pence represented portions of eastern Indiana in the United States House of Representatives for more than a decade. During his time in Congress, Pence served in leadership roles as Chairman of the Republican Study Committee and Chairman of the House Republican Conference. As a Member of Congress, Pence developed a reputation as an advocate for limited government, fiscal discipline, a strong national defense, and traditional family values. He and his wife of 31 years, Karen, have three adult children: Michael (25), Charlotte (23), and Audrey (22).
TOPLINE TALKERS
- Governor Pence is an excellent choice to serve as Mr. Trump’s Vice President – his successful record of job creation and conservative governance make him the perfect person to help unite the Republican party and defeat Hillary Clinton.
- Governor Pence is an experienced public servant and a job-creating conservative whose policies have led to the longest period of uninterrupted job growth in Indiana’s history.
- Trump-Pence is a job-creating ticket, whose wealth of knowledge and experience will get middle-class families thriving again.
- Mr. Trump and Governor Pence’s winning ideas are in stark contrast to Hillary Clinton, whose plans to help American families are merely more of the failed Obama policies which have sent debt skyrocketing and paychecks slumping.
- The Trump-Pence ticket’s vision for prosperity and security makes it clear that the Republican Party is the only party prepared to lead an American turnaround.
A CONSERVATIVE REFORMER
LOWERING TAXES, GROWING THE ECONOMY
- Governor Pence has been a consistent fighter for sound fiscal policies. While in Congress, he co-sponsored legislation reforming earmarks, which sought to rein in wasteful, pork-barrel spending.
- Governor Pence was the leader of the conservative caucus in Congress and led opposition to out of control spending within his own party.
- Governor Pence helped turn around Indiana, attracting investors and creating over 150,000 private sector jobs by signing into law the largest tax cut in state history.
- Because of Governor Pence’s conservative economic policies the state has been named the fifth best overall state in the country for job growth, and turned Indiana’s unemployment rate around from 8.4% to under 5%.
IMPROVING EDUCATION
- Under Governor Pence’s watch, Indiana enacted the largest K-12 education funding in state history, Indiana’s test scores and graduation rates were the seventh highest in the nation, and children in the state outpace national averages at every level.
- Governor Pence expanded Indiana’s choice scholarship program to more than 32,000 low-and-middle-income Hoosier students, while also ensuring that test results did negatively impact public school teacher compensation and budgets.
STRONG VALUES
- Governor Pence’s faith and strong Christian values are what drive him to public service.
- Governor Pence signed “Jenny’s Law”, extending the statute of limitations for filing rape charges in the State of Indiana and ensured $5 million in new funding ($12 million in total) for domestic violence prevention and treatment.
SUPPORTING OUR VETERANS
- Indiana was among the first states to allow our National Guard to carry firearms at all recruiting stations. Now, those who defend our freedom have the ability to defend themselves.
- One of Governor Pence’s priorities has been to create good jobs for our veterans. Since 2013, Indiana has gone from 31st in the nation for veteran’s unemployment to the 2nd lowest.
- While in Congress, Governor Pence served on the House Foreign Affairs committee and visited troops overseas every year he was in office.
HEALTHCARE INNOVATION
- Indiana has become a true innovator in delivering world class healthcare to its citizens with state-based solutions for state-based issues.
- Governor Pence led the charge to combat the scourge of drug addiction in Indiana by creating a task force on drug enforcement, treatment and prevention, increasing mandatory minimum sentences for the most serious of drug offenders, and providing $30 million over two years to focus on extending treatment and prevention options.
PROTECTING OUR BORDERS
- Governor Pence is a strong supporter of strengthening immigration laws to protect our borders.
- Governor Pence has voted in favor of border security and for new visa rules ensuring employers are hiring American workers first.
FUNDING INFRASTRUCTURE
- As our nation’s infrastructure crumbles after decades of neglect, Indiana’s has been drastically improved. Under Governor Pence, Indiana substantially increased funding for infrastructure every year since 2013, without raising taxes.
A JOB-CREATING GOVERNOR
- Under Governor Pence’s leadership, Indiana was named the “Best Business Climate in the Midwest” and the 5th “Best Business Climate In America” by Chief Executive Magazine.
- Salesforce has committed to investing more than $40 million, create up to 800 high-wage jobs.
- Subaru committed to making a $140 million investment and create 1,200 new jobs.
- Amazon announced plans to add more than 2,000 jobs in Indiana.
- Indiana’s per capita disposable income ranks in the top ten in the nation (9th), adjusted for cost of housing, up five places from 2012, before Governor Pence.
- So far in 2016, jobs attracted by the state have an average wage 27% higher than state’s average.
- 34,000 fewer Hoosiers are unemployed since Mike Pence became governor.
- Governor Pence has reduced the tax burden on Hoosier job creators by over $300 million since 2013.
AWARDS, SCORES, AND RATINGS
- Governor Pence was awarded the “Taxpayers’ Friend Award” by the National Taxpayers’ Union
- Governor Pence received the “Spirit of Enterprise” Award from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce every year he was in Congress.
- He was awarded the “Guardian of Small Business” by National Federation of Independent Business.
- 100% lifetime score from the Americans For Tax Reform
- 100% lifetime score from National Right to Life Committee
- 100% lifetime score from Federation of American Immigration Reform
- 99% lifetime score from Club For Growth
- 96% lifetime score from Family Research Council Action Fund
- 89% lifetime score from FreedomWorks
- “A” rating from the National Rifle Association
Source: Republican National Committee