Mike Pence facts for kids

Mike Pence
Mike Pence
48th Vice President of the United States
	Incumbent
	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's 6th district
	In office; January 3, 2003 – January 3, 2013
Preceded by	Dan Burton
Succeeded by	Luke Messer
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives; from Indiana's 2nd district
	In office; January 3, 2001 – January 3, 2003
Preceded by	David McIntosh
Succeeded by	Chris Chocola
Personal details
Born	Michael Richard Pence ; June 7, 1959 (age 60); Columbus, Indiana, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Karen Batten (1985–present)
Children	3
Residence	Number One Observatory Circle
Alma mater	Hanover College (BA); Indiana University, Indianapolis (JD)

Michael Richard "Mike" Pence (born June 7, 1959) is the 48th and current Vice President of the United States since 2017. 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.

Early life

Pence was born in Columbus, Indiana, 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.

Pence as a representative, 2009

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.

Governor Mike Pence speaking at the 2015 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in National Harbor, Maryland on February 27, 2015

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

Main page: United States presidential election, 2016

Main page: Donald Trump presidential campaign, 2016

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 (since 2017)

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.

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.

Images for kids

Pence as a U.S. Congressman
Congressman Pence visits US-Soldiers in Mosul, Iraq in 2006
Pence being sworn in as Governor of Indiana
Governor Mike Pence speaking at the 2015 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in National Harbor, Maryland, on February 27, 2015
President Obama with Peter Shumlin and Mike Pence, February 25, 2013
Mike Pence speaking at an immigration policy speech hosted by Donald Trump in Phoenix, Arizona.
Pence addressing supporters at a Living Word Bible Church service
Pence at the 500 Festival Parade in Indianapolis, 2015
Pence at a town hall and campaign rally in Phoenix, Arizona.
Vice President-elect Pence meets with Vice President Joe Biden at the White House on November 10, 2016
Pence being sworn in as Vice President on January 20, 2017
Pence speaking at the 2017 March for Life in Washington, D.C.
Then-U.S. Representative Pence (third from left) standing behind then-governor Mitch Daniels at a 2008 press conference in Martinsville, Indiana
Pence speaking at a Tea Party rally in 2011
Pence at the Inaugural parade viewing stand in Washington on January 20, 2017.
Pence meeting with President George W. Bush in 2007
Mike Pence family at the 2017 Presidential Inauguration Parade