Michael Richard Pence (born June 7, 1959) is an American politician. He was the 48th vice president of the United States between 2017 and 2021. A lawyer by occupation, he served as Governor of Indiana from 2013 to 2017 and as a member of the United States House of Representatives from 2001 to 2013. A Republican, he chaired the House Republican Conference from 2009 to 2011. Pence is a longtime supporter of the Tea Party movement.

On July 14, 2016, Donald Trump's campaign said that Pence would be Trump's choice for running mate in the 2016 presidential election. The Trump-Pence campaign went on to defeat the Clinton-Kaine campaign in the general election on November 8, 2016. Pence was inaugurated as Vice President of the United States on January 20, 2017.

On November 7, 2020 the Trump-Pence campaign lost their re-election bid to former Vice President Joe Biden and U.S. Senator Kamala Harris following the 2020 election.

Early life
Pence was born at Columbus Regional Hospital in Columbus, Indiana, He was one of six children of Nancy Jane (née Cawley) and Edward J. Pence, Jr. His family were Irish Catholic Democrats.

Pence graduated from Columbus North High School in 1977. He earned a B.A. in History from Hanover College in 1981 and a J.D. from the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law in 1986.

After graduating from law school in 1986, Pence worked as an attorney in private practice. He continued to practice law following his second unsuccessful run for Congress.

U.S. House of Representatives (2001–2013)
In November 2000, Pence was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in Indiana's 2nd Congressional District after six-year incumbent David M. McIntosh (1995–2001) opted to run for governor of Indiana.

On November 8, 2006, 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. 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).

Pence served for a time as the chairman of the Republican Study Committee. His Committee assignments in the U.S. House included: Foreign Affairs, Subcommittee on Middle East and South Asia (Vice Chair); Judiciary, Subcommittee on the Constitution (Vice Chair), and Subcommittee on Intellectual Property, Competition, and the Internet.

While in Congress, Pence belonged to the Tea Party Caucus. Pence also belonged to the Congressional Internet Caucus, International Conservation Caucus, and Sportsmen's Caucus.

After the November 2010 election, Pence announced that he would not run for re-election as the Republican Conference Chairman. On May 5, 2011, Pence announced that he would seek the Republican nomination for Governor of Indiana in 2012.

Governor of Indiana (2013–2017)
On November 6, 2012, Pence won the gubernatorial election, defeating Democratic nominee John R. Gregg and Libertarian nominee Rupert Boneham. 

Pence became the 50th Governor of Indiana on January 14, 2013.

Pence made tax reform, namely a 10% income-tax rate cut, a priority for 2013.

On March 26, 2015, Pence signed Indiana Senate Bill 101, also known as the Indiana "religious objections" bill (RFRA), into law. The law's signing was met with widespread criticism by people and groups who felt the law was carefully worded in a way that would permit discrimination against LGBT persons.

As of March 2016, Pence has attempted unsuccessfully to prevent Syrian refugees from being resettled in Indiana.

Pence is running for a second term as governor. He was unopposed in the May 3, 2016, Republican primary for governor. He faces Democrat John Gregg, former Speaker of the Indiana House of Representatives, in a rematch of the 2012 race. Early reports on July 14 suggest Pence is likely to be announced as the VP candidate on July 15.

2016 vice presidential nomination

In July 2016, Trump said that there was three people on his running mate shortlist: Chris Christie, Newt Gingrich and Pence himself. On July 14, 2016, it was reported that Trump selected Pence as his running mate. On July 15, 2016, Trump announced on his Twitter that Pence would be his running mate. He made a formal announcement in New York City on July 16, 2016.

Trump would go on to defeat Clinton in the general election making Pence the vice president-elect of the United States.

Vice President of the United States (2017–2021) 
Pence was inaugurated as the 48th vice president of the United States after being sworn in by Associate Justice Clarence Thomas on January 20, 2017.

On January 27, 2017, Pence spoke at the March for Life in Washington D.C., becoming the first vice president and the highest ranking United States official to ever speak at the annual event.

Following the Trump-supporter storming of the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021 many politicians and lawyers wanted Pence to use the 25th amendment of the United States Constitution to remove Trump from office.

Personal life
Pence and his wife Karen Pence have been married since 1985. They have three children: Michael, Charlotte, and Audrey. Pence is a born-again Christian. His brother, Greg, is the member of the United States House of Representatives.

In May 2021, the Pences bought a home north of Indianapolis.

In April 2021, Pence had heart surgery to have a pacemaker implanted to help stop his slow heart rate.

References

Other websites

 Mike Pence for Governor
 
 
 Profile at Ballotpedia
Articles
 Collected news and commentary at The Indianapolis Star
 Candidate information from Our Campaigns
Congress

 Profile at SourceWatch

1959 births
Living people
American conservatives
American Evangelicals
American Roman Catholics
Governors of Indiana
United States representatives from Indiana
2020 United States vice-presidential candidates
2016 United States vice-presidential candidates
US Republican Party politicians
21st-century American politicians
Politicians from Indianapolis, Indiana