Posted on 11/24/2010 4:45:06 AM PST by RobinMasters
He hasn’t held executive office. He isn’t a paid Fox News contributor. He hasn’t written a best-seller or starred in a reality show.
So is there any reason Rep. Mike Pence (R., Ind.) should be considered a viable 2012 presidential contender?
According to supporters, there’s a huge one: authenticity. Pence identifies himself as a fiscal and social conservative and has the voting record to prove it. Elected in 2000, when compassionate conservatism was trendy, he has never been afraid to play the Grinch, voting against big-spending initiatives such as No Child Left Behind, Medicare Part D, and TARP. Pence has displayed the same kind of consistency on social issues, establishing a solidly pro-life record over the last decade.
Pence’s advocacy hasn’t gone unnoticed. He spoke at the Tea Party’s 9/12 rally in Washington, D.C., last year and again this year, and won the straw poll of 2012 presidential candidates at the Family Research Council’s Value Voters Summit this year, beating out notables like Mike Huckabee, Mitt Romney, and Sarah Palin. When Pence resigned from his leadership position as chairman of the House Republican Conference following the election, there was immediate buzz that he might be considering a presidential run. Others speculated that he might run for governor of Indiana, where term limits mandate that current governor Mitch Daniels step down in 2012.
“The congressman hasn’t made a decision at this point,” says Pence spokesman Matt Lloyd. “He’s humbled by the encouragement he’s received back in Indiana and around the country, and he’s going to take the coming weeks to seek counsel and prayerfully consider it.”
(Excerpt) Read more at nationalreview.com ...
OK by me.
If Palin does not run, I could support Pence.
However, I’d prefer to see him run for governor.
Me too. Ok, if he runs. But Governor would be better.
Ellis Island Centers? Really?
No thanks.
He should run for Governor, get some executive experience and then run later for President.
Me too! I also like DeMint, Bachmann, or Palin (if I have to) in 2012. If the pickins' are slim (e.g., Romney or Goober (Huck)), I will vote 3rd party Ron Paul. RNC (and obvious to everyone by now, the Bushes and their wives) needs to STFU and understand - NO 'progressive' RINOS!
I like DeMint way more than Pence in the ‘conservative politicians who aren’t going to run but still get talked about all the time for it’ category.
My type of conservative. Too old to waste my vote on rinos.
I like Pence. A lot.
We’ll see..
U.S. Reps make horrible Presidential candidates. They have no record or experience of winning a statewide election, and are all too often coming from safe districts where they rarely, if ever, face a serious challenge, and therefore can afford to be more “pure” to their base.
Once they have to compete on a larger scale, the invariably crash and burn.
Mike
i like DeMint as well but i don’t see him winning a national election...i love Pence...
I second that emotion!
He hasn’t held executive office.
But I love Mike and if he shoots for the VP slot he would have the executive experience needed when the time comes.
I always thought that Kenyan Marxists made bad Presidential candidates but the times they are a changin’.
The point here is that we collectively may not coalesce behind any of the above enough to grab the new indys and win the White House. Mike Pence has virtually zero opponents within the party. He is one that virtually all of us could fully support, imho. He hopelessly loves Palin, so his heart's in the right place.
Of all the candidates mentioned, some seriously some not so, Pence would be my choice. I do not want a RINO, period. Few on the national stage don’t fall into that hole. On the other hand, looking at electability, I’d definitely give him the nod over De Mint and Palin. Pence has the advantage of no baggage which is a big plus going into the pre primary season.
Well, they clearly make bad Presidents. Apparently decent candidates, with a lot of help, though.
Good guy IMO. More known for social issues than economic ones. Makes a good VP fit.
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