If he shows his hand early and runs for President as a Congressman, he will never hold any higher office than a Congressman because he will be seen as a guy always looking for the next stepping stone, and too ambitious to take a serious route to the top.
I like Pence too much to see his star fade that quickly, and it will if he decides to become the latest Congressman buried in the GOP Presidential graveyard because first holding a statewide office was just so beneath him.
If he wants to run, there will be no stopping him, and I fully understand your point. I have always hoped he would take-down Senator Lugar in 2012 and perhaps that’s his aim.
His other aim might be governor of his state, but there’s a chance that his winning of the straw poll at the Value’s summit fed his ego, so if he decides to run for the GOP nomination, I say, welcome to the race!