Mike Pence | |
---|---|
48th Vice President of the United States | |
Assumed office January 20, 2017 |
|
President | Donald Trump |
Preceded by | Joe Biden |
50th Governor of Indiana | |
In office January 14, 2013 – January 9, 2017 |
|
Lieutenant |
Sue Ellspermann Eric Holcomb |
Preceded by | Mitch Daniels |
Succeeded by | Eric Holcomb |
Chair of the House Republican Conference | |
In office January 3, 2009 – January 3, 2011 |
|
Leader | John Boehner |
Preceded by | Adam Putnam |
Succeeded by | Jeb Hensarling |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Indiana |
|
In office January 3, 2003 – January 3, 2013 |
|
Preceded by | Dan Burton |
Succeeded by | Luke Messer |
Constituency | 6th district |
In office January 3, 2001 – January 3, 2003 |
|
Preceded by | David M. McIntosh |
Succeeded by | Chris Chocola |
Constituency | 2nd district |
Personal details | |
Born |
Michael Richard Pence June 7, 1959 Columbus, Indiana, U.S. |
Political party | Republican |
Spouse(s) | Karen Batten (m. 1985) |
Children | 3 |
Residence | Number One Observatory Circle |
Education |
Hanover College (BA) Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law (JD) |
Signature | |
Website |
White House Website Transition website |
Michael Richard "Mike" Pence (born June 7, 1959) is an American politician and the 48th Vice President of the United States. He previously served as the 50th Governor of Indiana from 2013 to 2017.
Born and raised in Columbus, Indiana, Pence graduated from Hanover College and earned a law degree from the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law before entering private practice. After losing two bids for a U.S. congressional seat in 1988 and 1990, he became a conservative radio and television talk show host from 1994 to 1999. Pence was elected to the United States Congress in 2000 and represented Indiana's 2nd congressional district and Indiana's 6th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 2001 to 2013. He served as the chairman of the House Republican Conference from 2009 to 2011. Pence positioned himself as a principled ideologue and supporter of the Tea Party movement, noting he was "a Christian, a conservative, and a Republican, in that order."
Upon becoming Governor of Indiana in January 2013, Pence initiated the largest tax cut in Indiana's history, pushed for more funding for education initiatives, and continued to increase the state's budget surplus. Pence signed bills intended to restrict abortions, including one that prohibited abortions if the reason for the procedure was the fetus's race, gender, or disability. Pence stirred several high-profile controversies, including with his signature of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, for which he encountered fierce resistance from moderate members of his party, the business community, and LGBT advocates. He later signed an additional bill acting as an amendment intended to protect LGBT people.