I admire U.S. Rep. Mike Pence (R-Indiana). He’s a strong, unabashed conservative with a strong pro-life record in Congress.
But apparently, a group called “America’s President Committee” really loves Pence and is getting a petition together to convince him to throw his hat for the presidency. CNN’s Political Ticker blog has the scoop here.
Here is where I think enthusiasm for Pence has outpaced political reality, and lacks some long-term “strategery.”
Drafting Pence for U.S. president in 2012 may not really be a good idea for pro-life conservatives in the long run. For one, Pence lacks the national name recognition outside of social conservative circles to make an effective run for president. Second, it is a long shot by any standard to reach from U.S. Congressman, representing just one district in one’s own state, to the presidency, the highest office in the land.
Those who have presidential ambitions for Pence would be better served by encouraging him on a second, more indirect route to the presidency: running for the governorship of his home state of Indiana in 2012.
Governors typically have a better advantage when it comes to running for president, because they have executive experience running the government of a state, and have a platform in their state that gives them a bigger national profile. Franklin D. Roosevelt, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush (to name a few) were all governors before they made their run for the presidency.
Having Pence as Indiana’s governor would give pro-life advocates another executive leader to draw from in future presidential elections. At least, he won’t be talking worrisome nonsense about truces in the culture wars à la Gov. Mitch Daniels. Daniels is Indiana’s current governor, and is prevented by state law from seeking a third consecutive term.
So that would be the broader strategic picture for Pence, should his ambitions tend toward the presidency. But again, it’s just speculation, and Pence has not yet given any firm indication of where he will go next in his political career.