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Drafting Pence

By Philip Klein on 1.17.11 @ 11:05AM

A new group has launched a website attempting to collect signatures urging Rep. Mike Pence to run for president.

There are a few factors driving talk of a Pence presidential run. A regular speaker at tea parties, Pence is one of a small number of elected Republicans with an appeal to economic, social and national security conservatives. During the Bush years, he wasn't cowed into going along with the administration's big government agenda, voting against both the Medicare prescription drug plan and No Child Left Behind. Last fall, the presidential talk got a boost when he won the straw poll at the Value Voters' summit, surprising many who assumed that Mike Huckabee had it in the bag. If Pence has any ambition of seeking the presidency, this may be the best time to do it given the wide-openness of the GOP field. Mitt Romney is the closest thing to a frontrunner, and yet he's incredibly vulnerable on a number of key issues. By 2016, several potentially strong candidates who don't have plans to run this time (Govs. Chris Christie and Bobby Jindal) will have matured.

With all of that said, Pence would have an uphill battle were he to seek the presidency. Americans tend to elect presidents who have prior executive experience, such as being governor. Barack Obama himself was the first Senator elected president since John F. Kennedy in 1960. But electing House member is rarer still. The only sitting House member to be elected president was James Garfield in 1881 -- so long ago that the comparison doesn't have any real relevance for Pence. It would take a lot to convince people outside Pence's circle of admirers that he's ready to take the jump at a time when the nation is facing mounting challenges. True, Obama had very little experience when he was elected. But look at the results. It'll be hard to argue, on one hand, that Obama's inexperience cost us dearly, and on the other hand, that we need to elect somebody inexperienced to replace him.

Pence may choose to forgo the presidential bid and run for governor of Indiana instead, where Mitch Daniels' term ends in 2012. He could also be a potential vice president pick if whoever gets nominated needs a credibility boost among conservatives.

The new draft Pence group, called America's President Committee, is run by conservative activist Ralph Benko and former Kansas congressman Jim Ryun.

View all comments (14) | Leave a comment

Bob| 1.17.11 @ 11:30AM

The GOP should draft NJ Governor Crisco. Please nominate Governor Fat Head. Pick dumpy Pence as his running mate. Go ahead make my day.

Interested Conservative| 1.17.11 @ 12:45PM

Dumpy?

W| 1.17.11 @ 1:12PM

Hey bob, didn't you get the message from obama about toning down the political hate talk? crisco and fat head and dumpy? grow up, listen to your leader,obama.

Real American| 1.17.11 @ 11:42AM

If he runs for Governor, that'll take him out of consideration for VP. If he has designs on running, it's either 2012 or 2020.

Real American| 1.17.11 @ 11:44AM

unless Hussein wins re-eelection, of course.

Proud Mormon| 1.17.11 @ 11:49AM

Mitt Romney will mop up the floor with this mediocre bunch. The Tea Party day has come and gone.

Clint| 1.17.11 @ 12:50PM

Many of We Tea Party Patriots want to draft Our Kingmaker & Senate Point Man Senator Jim DeMint from South Carolina.

http://draftjimdemint.com/

Jake| 1.17.11 @ 1:05PM

You can always tell when the kids are out of school and on the computer...
Pence's lack of executive experience may not be as much of a factor as some think it will be.
He still has plenty of Congressional experience and seems adult and competent and his nice guy persona won't be easily tarnished by the media.
The candidate who exudes gravitas and experience
is obviously Romney .
His trip this past week to the Mideast where he met with Karzai and General Petraeus in Afghanistan
and his meeting with Netanyahu in Israel were not social calls, but, serious policy discussions.
Unfortunately, he got little publicity because of Tucson and the latest Palin tumult.
Would Pence take the VP slot with Romney ?
That might assuage the anger of the far right with Romney ,
although I've never been able to quite grasp why they hate him so much.
It seems so disproportionate.
Which is what has happened with the Tea Party, unfortunately.
Before November, the Tea Party was an amalgam of passionate conservatives, indys , first time voters of all ages
and disaffected Democrats united in their displeasure at federal spending and Obamacare.
We were then unfairly described as angry and racist white people.
Now it appears that the Tea Party has morphed into a much smaller group of people , united solely by their anger at everyone and everything.

Clint| 1.17.11 @ 1:20PM

"Tea Party Express Chairwoman Amy Kremer says a Mitt Romney presidential bid will run into major trouble with the Tea Party because of the healthcare plan he put in to place as governor of Massachusetts."

The Tea Party Rebellion Escalates.

Carpe Diem.

Clint| 1.17.11 @ 1:49PM

Tea Party Affiliations:
Republican: 49 Percent
Independent: 43 Percent
Democrat: 8 Percent

e cowan| 1.17.11 @ 1:55PM

My opinion hasn't changed - NONE of the **ETHANOL FOUR are fit to be president or a representative of the Tea Party.
**Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty, Indiana governor Mitch Daniels, South Dakota senator John Thune, and Indiana congressman Mike Pence

Jed| 1.17.11 @ 6:00PM

Mitt 2012!

e cowan| 1.17.11 @ 8:27PM

'Mitt 2012!'
The guy who said we NEED illegal aliens to keep our economy going?
NEVER!
(heard Huckaby on the same radio station ,say the same thing. Forget him too)