Mike Pence

Mike Pence is an American politician, who currently serves as the vice president of the United States. Prior to being appointed as the vice president, Pence had been a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. He was elected as a member of House of Representatives from 2000 to 2010 from Indiana, which is six consecutive terms. Pence had earlier fought elections in 1988 and 1990 as well, but in these elections, he was defeated by Philip R. Sharp of Democratic Party. Pence has also served as the Governor of Indiana from 2013 to 2017.

Early life and education

Mike Pence was born on June 7, 1959 to Ann Jane and Edward Joseph. He was born in Columbus, Indiana. He belonged to a well-to-do family, as his father owned a group of gas stations. His father had served in the Korean War. While Pence’s father was of mixed German and Irish descent, his mother has Irish ancestry.

In 1977, Pence completed his schooling from Columbus North High School. Later he studied at Hanover College, from where he received a degree in Bachelor of Arts (history). Five years later, he earned his Juris Doctor degree from Robert H. McKinney School of Law, part of Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis. In 1985, Pence married Karen Sue Batten, a painter and schoolteacher. They had met at a church and decided to marry after around nine months of dating.

Political career

In his early years, Pence was a Democrat, just like everyone else in his family. He started out as a Roman Catholic. He had campaigned for Bartholomew County Democratic Party in his college days and had given his vote in favor of Jimmy Carter in the 1980 presidential election. His initial political views were inspired by leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr. and John F. Kennedy.

However, as years went by, Pence’s political views started shifting in favor of Republican Party. He was inspired by Ronald Reagan, who had espoused that conservatism was primarily common sense. Along with his shift to right ideology, Pence also embraced evangelical Christianity after leaving the Catholic Church. This however was a big disappointment for his mother.

Throughout his political career, Pence has expressed his views on various topics such as abortion, stem cell research, sex education, LGBT rights, economic policy, healthcare, immigration, international trade, social security, Patriot Act, gambling, climate change, foreign policy and crime & illegal drugs.

Personal pursuits

In his free time, Mike Pence involves himself in activities such as horse riding and cycling. One of his favorite desserts is Moose Tracks ice cream.