Gregory Joseph Pence (born November 14, 1956) is an American businessman and politician serving as the U.S. representative for Indiana's 6th congressional district since 2019. The district serves much of east-central Indiana, including Pence's hometown of Columbus, as well as Greenfield, Richmond, Shelbyville, and the southern third of Indianapolis. A member of the Republican Party, he is the older brother of former U.S. vice president Mike Pence, who represented the district from 2001 to 2013.
Greg Pence | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2018 | |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Indiana's 6th district | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Luke Messer |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Gregory Joseph Pence November 14, 1956 Columbus, Indiana, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Denise Pence (m. 1981) |
| Children | 4, including John |
| Relatives |
|
| Residence(s) | Columbus, Indiana, U.S. |
| Education | Loyola University Chicago (BA, MBA) |
| Website | House website |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service | United States Marine Corps |
| Years of service | 1979–1984 |
| Rank | First Lieutenant |
On January 9, 2024, Pence announced on X, formerly known as Twitter, that he would not be running for re-election to the 119th United States Congress.[1]
Early life
editBorn in Columbus, Indiana, on November 14, 1956,[2] Pence is the oldest of six children born to his parents, Ann Jane "Nancy" (née Cawley) and Edward Joseph Pence Jr., who ran a group of gas stations.[3][4] He was raised in the Catholic faith. According to his mother, Pence and his three brothers rode wagons in a 1964 campaign parade for Republican presidential nominee Barry Goldwater.[5]
Pence earned a B.A. in theology and philosophy and a Master of Business Administration in 1983 from Loyola University Chicago.[6][7] He earned a commission in the Marines in 1981 after receiving his undergraduate degree and served for five and a half years, rising to the rank of first lieutenant.[8][7] In 1983, his battalion was stationed in Beirut, Lebanon, and shipped out shortly before the bombings.[9]
Business career
editPence owns and operates antique malls in southern Indiana.
After being honorably discharged from the Marine Corps, Pence joined Kiel Brothers Oil Company in 1988, after his father died, and served as its president from 1998 to 2004. After his departure, the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2004.[8] Through the company, he also ran a chain of gas stations and convenience stores.[10][11]
According to some reports, the cleanup from the defunct business sites has cost Indiana at least $21 million.[12] Pence also worked for Marathon Oil and Unocal. In 1999, he was elected to the board of directors of Home Federal Bancorp and its subsidiary Home Federal Savings Bank.[7][13]
U.S. House of Representatives
editElections
edit2018
editPence was the finance chairman in U.S. Representative Luke Messer's 2018 campaign for the U.S. Senate.[11] In October 2017, Pence launched his own campaign for the position Messer was leaving.[14] On May 8, 2018, Pence won the Republican nomination for the U.S. House seat his brother Mike had held for 12 years. With Pence raising and spending about $1 million as of mid-April and his closest Republican challenger loaning himself about three quarters of that amount, it made the "race the most expensive in the state." Pence faced Democrat Jeannine Lake in the November general election and won by a margin of over 30%.[10]
2020
editPence defeated Lake in a rematch in the November 3 general election with 68.6% of the vote.
Tenure
editIn December 2020, Pence was one of 126 Republican members of the House of Representatives to sign an amicus brief in support of Texas v. Pennsylvania, a lawsuit filed at the United States Supreme Court contesting the results of the 2020 presidential election, in which Joe Biden defeated incumbent Donald Trump.[15]
In January 2021 in the aftermath of the insurrection at the Capitol and despite the rioters' chants of "Hang Mike Pence," Greg Pence voted to side with Trump and reject the Pennsylvania votes which swung the election to Biden.[16]
In May 2021, Pence voted against a House bill establishing a January 6 commission, accusing Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Democrats of partisan plans to use the commission to carry out the "political execution of Donald Trump". The bill passed.[17]
In August 2022, Pence criticized President Joe Biden for forgiving up to $10,000 of student loan debt for eligible borrowers. Pence was criticized for hypocrisy because he had $79,441 of debt from his PPP loan forgiven.[18]
Veterans
editThe PACT ACT which expanded VA benefits to veterans exposed to toxic chemicals during their military service, received a "nay" from Pence.[19] Regarding cannabis, despite lobbying from VSOs such as the DAV[20] Pence also voted against 2022 MORE Act.[21][22]
Committee assignments
editFor the 118th Congress:[23]
Electoral history
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Greg Pence | 47,955 | 65.3 | |
| Republican | Jonathan Lamb | 17,523 | 23.9 | |
| Republican | Mike Campbell | 3,229 | 4.4 | |
| Republican | Stephen MacKenzie | 2,500 | 3.4 | |
| Republican | Jeff Smith | 2,258 | 3.1 | |
| Total votes | 73,465 | 100.0 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Greg Pence | 154,260 | 63.8 | |
| Democratic | Jeannine Lee Lake | 79,430 | 32.9 | |
| Libertarian | Tom Ferkinhoff | 8,030 | 3.3 | |
| Independent | John Miller (write-in) | 5 | 0.0 | |
| Independent | Heather Leigh Meloy (write-in) | 1 | 0.0 | |
| Total votes | 241,726 | 100.0 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Greg Pence (incumbent) | 62,346 | 83.6 | |
| Republican | Mike Campbell | 12,234 | 16.4 | |
| Total votes | 74,580 | 100.0 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Greg Pence (incumbent) | 225,318 | 68.6 | |
| Democratic | Jeannine Lake | 91,103 | 27.8 | |
| Libertarian | Tom Ferkinhoff | 11,791 | 3.6 | |
| Total votes | 328,212 | 100.0 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Greg Pence (incumbent) | 44,893 | 77.6 | |
| Republican | James Alspach | 12,923 | 22.4 | |
| Total votes | 57,816 | 100.0 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Greg Pence (incumbent) | 130,686 | 67.5 | |
| Democratic | Cinde Wirth | 62,838 | 32.5 | |
| Total votes | 193,524 | 100.0 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
Personal life
editPence and his wife, Denise, own two antique malls.[13] They have four children and ten grandchildren.[24] Pence is a practicing Catholic and attends St. Bartholomew Catholic Church in Columbus.[25]
Denise Pence was an Indiana delegate at the 2016 Republican National Convention and 2020 Republican National Convention and cast her vote for Donald Trump and Mike Pence to be the party's nominees.[3] She was also a delegate at the 2024 Republican National Convention, where she cast her vote for Trump and JD Vance to be the nominees. Pence and his family were in attendance at Trump's inauguration, seated several rows behind him.
Their oldest daughter, Nicole, was a TV anchor in Indianapolis[26] and their son, John, worked on Trump's 2020 campaign as a senior advisor and is married to Kellyanne Conway's cousin Giovanna Coia.[27][28]
References
edit- ^ "US Rep. Greg Pence of Indiana, former VP Mike Pence's older brother, won't seek reelection". AP News. 2024-01-09. Retrieved 2024-01-10.
- ^ "Where they stand Q&A: Greg Pence". Daily Reporter. April 13, 2018. Retrieved May 5, 2018.
- ^ a b Pitrelli, Adrianna (October 6, 2017). "VP's sister-in-law on life since the election". WTHR. Archived from the original on April 17, 2020. Retrieved May 8, 2018.
- ^ "Mike Pence photo gallery". The Republic. January 20, 2017. slides 8, 12, 32. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
- ^ Webber, Mark (November 1, 2016). "Pence family hosts Edinburgh rally". The Republic. Retrieved May 8, 2018.
- ^ "About Greg". Greg Pence for Congress. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
- ^ a b c "Home Federal Bancorp Elects New Director". Business Wire. December 21, 1999. Archived from the original on June 21, 2018. Retrieved May 9, 2018 – via The Free Library.
- ^ a b Tackett, Michael (April 22, 2018). "As Another Pence Runs for Congress, His Business Record Raises Questions". The New York Times. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
- ^ Thomas, Ken (October 23, 2017). "Pence honors memory of Marines killed in 1983 Beirut bombing". The Times of Israel. Retrieved November 26, 2018.
- ^ a b Chamberlain, Samuel (May 8, 2018). "Greg Pence wins GOP nomination for House seat once held by brother Mike Pence". Fox News. Retrieved May 8, 2018.
- ^ a b Pathé, Simone (August 16, 2017). "Could There Soon Be Another Pence in Washington?". Roll Call. Retrieved May 18, 2018.
- ^ Slodysko, Brian (July 13, 2018). "Pence family's failed gas stations cost taxpayers $20M+". Associated Press. Retrieved July 14, 2018.
- ^ a b Pathé, Simone (April 18, 2018). "Inside the Antique Mall That's Greg Pence's Largest Asset". Roll Call. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
- ^ Slodysko, Brian (October 18, 2017). "Mike Pence's brother Greg launches run for Indiana U.S. House seat". Washington Times. Associated Press. Retrieved May 18, 2018.
- ^ "List: The 126 House members, 19 states and 2 imaginary states that backed Texas' challenge to Trump defeat". The Mercury News. Bay Area News Group. December 15, 2020.
- ^ "Jan. 6 attack posed loyalty test for Indiana Rep. Greg Pence". AP NEWS. 2022-01-04. Retrieved 2023-06-21.
- ^ Sloan, Steven (May 22, 2021). "Shock of Jan. 6 insurrection devolves into political fight". Associated Press. Retrieved May 22, 2021.
- ^ "Column: GOP ratchets up the hypocrisy in opposing Biden's student debt plan". Los Angeles Times. August 29, 2022.
- ^ https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/202257 [bare URL]
- ^ "DAV Magazine July/August 2023 Page 5". www.qgdigitalpublishing.com.
- ^ https://www.c-span.org/video/?519065-1/house-session&start=11123 [bare URL]
- ^ "Vote Smart | Facts for All".
- ^ "Greg Pence". Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. Retrieved June 14, 2023.
- ^ Johannesen, Kirk (February 9, 2018). "Candidate discusses Republican concerns with party leaders, including Second Amendment rights, aid for veterans". The Republic. Retrieved May 17, 2018.
- ^ "Learn more about Greg Pence". Greg Pence for Congress. Retrieved 2020-10-16.
- ^ Ariens, Chris (March 8, 2017). "Nicole Pence, Niece of VP Mike Pence, Leaving TV News". TV Spy. AdWeek. Retrieved May 23, 2018.
- ^ "John Pence". Fox News. Retrieved February 4, 2020.
- ^ NJ.com, Sophie Nieto-Munoz | NJ Advance Media for (2019-09-14). "Kellyanne Conway's cousin, Mike Pence's nephew to marry in Atlantic City". nj. Retrieved 2023-01-17.
External links
edit- Congressman Greg Pence official U.S. House website
- Campaign site