“If you thought one Pence was damaging enough to our state’s economy, wait until you see what a second can do,” Zody said. “Voters must hope that he doesn’t represent a second helping of that harm.”
Politics
CONFIRMED: Mike Pence’s Brother Will Run For Congress
No featured image available
Vice President Mike Pence’s brother, Greg Pence, is planning to run for Congress in Indiana’s sixth district, according to an IRS form filed Monday.
An Indiana political operative with ties to Mike Pence and GOP Indiana Rep. Luke Messer filed forms with the IRS, obtained by the Associated Press, establishing “Greg Pence for Congress Inc. … for purposes of conducting a campaign in 2018 for the election of Greg Pence as United State Representative in Indiana.”
Greg would replace Messer, who is leaving his seat to run for Senate in 2018. Greg has played a supporting role in his brother’s political career and has worked on Messer’s Senate campaign. However, he has never run for office himself.
Mike Pence held the sixth Congressional seat in Indiana for twelve years. His brother will likely benefit from widespread name recognition and access to the same fundraising network that Mike tapped to propel his political career forward.
Greg, who lives in Columbus, Ind., once ran the family’s chain of Tobacco Road convenience stores until the business went bankrupt under his leadership in 2004.
Greg’s name has been floated to replace Messer for months. Influential Indiana Republican fundraiser Bob Grand told the AP that Greg would be a great choice in June when his name was first mentioned.
“He’s a community leader, he’s been involved in this community, he’s obviously got good name ID. I think all those things are positive,” Grand said, according to Indy Star.
Jonathan Lamb, another candidate in the GOP primary for Indiana’s sixth congressional seat, cast Greg’s entry into the race as an example of the nepotism in establishment politics.
“They are trying to anoint someone because of his last name,” Lamb told the AP. “That’s the epitome of the good old boys’ club.”
“I think we’re all proud to have a Hoosier that’s steps away from the president, but that doesn’t necessarily make Mike Pence’s brother qualified to be a congressman,” he added.
Indiana Democratic Party Chairman John Zody welcomed Greg’s entrance into the race, suggesting his association with the policies of his brother would prove politically insurmountable.
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact [email protected].