Greg Pence
{{Short description|American politician (born 1956)}}
{{About|the U.S. Representative from Indiana|the philosopher|Gregory Pence}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Greg Pence
| image = Greg Pence, official portrait, 116th Congress.jpg
| caption = Official portrait, 2019
| state = Indiana
| district = {{ushr|IN|6|6th}}
| term_start = January 3, 2019
| term_end = January 3, 2025
| predecessor = Luke Messer
| successor = Jefferson Shreve
| birth_name = Gregory Joseph Pence
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1956|11|14}}
| birth_place = Columbus, Indiana, U.S.
| party = Republican
| spouse = {{marriage|Denise Pence|1981}}
| children = 4, including John
| relatives = Mike Pence (brother)
| education = Loyola University Chicago (BA, MBA)
| branch = United States Marine Corps
| rank = First Lieutenant
| serviceyears = 1979–1984
|module = {{Listen
|pos = center
|embed = yes
|filename = Rep. Greg Pence Speaks in Support of H.R.2220, a Bill on Fair Market Prices.ogg
|title = Pence's voice
|type = speech
|description = Pence supporting a bill on fair market prices
Recorded November 3, 2021}}
}}
Gregory Joseph Pence (born November 14, 1956) is an American businessman and politician who served as the U.S. representative for Indiana's 6th congressional district from 2019 to 2025. 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.
In January 2024, Pence announced that he would not be running for re-election to the 119th United States Congress.{{Cite web |date=2024-01-09 |title=US Rep. Greg Pence of Indiana, former VP Mike Pence's older brother, won't seek reelection |url=https://apnews.com/article/congress-us-rep-greg-pence-no-reelection-b787bba3e2506c60d672ef3bb7655f82 |access-date=2024-01-10 |website=AP News |language=en}}
Early life
Born in Columbus, Indiana, on November 14, 1956,{{cite web |title=Where they stand Q&A: Greg Pence |url=http://www.greenfieldreporter.com/2018/04/14/where-they-stand-qa-greg-pence |work=Daily Reporter |date=April 13, 2018 |access-date=May 5, 2018}} 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.{{cite news |url=http://www.therepublic.com/2016/07/14/mike-pence-photo-gallery-his-first-communion-his-wedding-his-family-and-more/ |title=Mike Pence photo gallery |newspaper=The Republic |at=slides 8, 12, 32 |date=January 20, 2017 |access-date=May 9, 2018 }} 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.{{cite news |url=http://www.therepublic.com/2016/11/02/pence_family_hosts_rally/ |newspaper=The Republic |title=Pence family hosts Edinburgh rally |first=Mark |last=Webber |date=November 1, 2016 |access-date=May 8, 2018 }}
Pence earned a B.A. in theology and philosophy and a Master of Business Administration in 1983 from Loyola University Chicago.{{cite web|title=About Greg|url=https://gregpenceforcongress.com/about/|publisher=Greg Pence for Congress|access-date=April 22, 2018}}{{cite web|title=Home Federal Bancorp Elects New Director|url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Home+Federal+Bancorp+Elects+New+Director.-a058327784|publisher=Business Wire|via=The Free Library|access-date=May 9, 2018|date=December 21, 1999|archive-date=June 21, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180621170835/https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Home+Federal+Bancorp+Elects+New+Director.-a058327784|url-status=dead}} 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.{{cite news|last1=Tackett|first1=Michael|title=As Another Pence Runs for Congress, His Business Record Raises Questions|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/22/us/politics/pence-brother-congress-business-record.html|access-date=April 22, 2018|work=The New York Times|date=April 22, 2018}} In 1983, his battalion was stationed in Beirut, Lebanon, and shipped out shortly before the bombings.{{cite news |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/pence-honors-memory-of-marines-killed-in-1983-beirut-bombing/ |title=Pence honors memory of Marines killed in 1983 Beirut bombing |first=Ken |last=Thomas |date=October 23, 2017 |newspaper=The Times of Israel |access-date=November 26, 2018 }}
Business career
Pence 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. Through the company, he also ran a chain of gas stations and convenience stores.
According to some reports, the cleanup from the defunct business sites has cost Indiana at least $21 million.{{cite news |url=https://apnews.com/07f9256ae1984362ba3eff192b4d6dd0/Pence-family-gas-stations-left-costly-environmental-legacy |title=Pence family's failed gas stations cost taxpayers $20M+ |work=Associated Press |first=Brian |last=Slodysko |date=July 13, 2018 |access-date=July 14, 2018 }} 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.
U.S. House of Representatives
= Elections =
== 2018 ==
{{See also|2018 United States House of Representatives elections in Indiana#District 6}}
Pence was the finance chairman in U.S. Representative Luke Messer's 2018 campaign for the U.S. Senate.{{cite news |url=https://www.rollcall.com/news/politics/greg-pence-indiana-congress |title=Could There Soon Be Another Pence in Washington? |date=August 16, 2017 |first=Simone |last=Pathé |newspaper=Roll Call |access-date=May 18, 2018 }} In October 2017, Pence launched his own campaign for the position Messer was leaving.{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/oct/18/greg-pence-mike-pences-brother-launches-run-indian/ |title=Mike Pence's brother Greg launches run for Indiana U.S. House seat |first=Brian |last=Slodysko |agency=Associated Press |newspaper=Washington Times |date=October 18, 2017 |access-date=May 18, 2018 }} 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%.{{cite news |url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/greg-pence-wins-gop-nomination-for-house-seat-once-held-by-brother-mike-pence |title=Greg Pence wins GOP nomination for House seat once held by brother Mike Pence |first=Samuel |last=Chamberlain |date=May 8, 2018 |access-date=May 8, 2018 |publisher=Fox News }}
== 2020 ==
{{See also|2020 United States House of Representatives elections in Indiana#District 6}}
Pence defeated Lake in a rematch in the November 3 general election with 68.6% of the vote.
=Tenure=
File:Congressman-greg-pence.jpg
In 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.{{cite news |title=List: The 126 House members, 19 states and 2 imaginary states that backed Texas' challenge to Trump defeat |url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/12/12/list-the-126-congress-members-19-states-and-2-imaginary-states-that-backed-texas-suit-over-trump-defeat/ |agency=Bay Area News Group |publisher=The Mercury News |date=December 15, 2020}}
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.{{Cite web |date=2022-01-04 |title=Jan. 6 attack posed loyalty test for Indiana Rep. Greg Pence |url=https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-indiana-election-2020-congress-bb14b40f9864324da667305bc703910f |access-date=2023-06-21 |website=AP NEWS |language=en}}
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.{{cite news |last=Sloan |first=Steven |date=May 22, 2021 |title=Shock of Jan. 6 insurrection devolves into political fight |url=https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-michael-pence-campaign-2016-capitol-siege-election-2020-2ae07018410ef256f2c89ea20cf180ad |work=Associated Press |access-date=May 22, 2021}}
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.{{Cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2022-08-29/hiltzik-gop-hypocrisy-biden-student-loan-forgiveness |title=Column: GOP ratchets up the hypocrisy in opposing Biden's student debt plan |date=August 29, 2022 |newspaper =Los Angeles Times}}
=Committee assignments=
Electoral history
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Republican primary results, 2018
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Greg Pence
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 47,955
| percentage = 65.3
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Jonathan Lamb
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 17,523
| percentage = 23.9
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Mike Campbell
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 3,229
| percentage = 4.4
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Stephen MacKenzie
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 2,500
| percentage = 3.4
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Jeff Smith
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 2,258
| percentage = 3.1
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 73,465
| percentage = 100.0
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Indiana's 6th congressional district, 2018
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Greg Pence
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 154,260
| percentage = 63.8
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Jeannine Lee Lake
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 79,430
| percentage = 32.9
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Tom Ferkinhoff
| party = Libertarian Party (United States)
| votes = 8,030
| percentage = 3.3
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = John Miller (write-in)
| party = Independent (United States)
| votes = 5
| percentage = 0.0
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Heather Leigh Meloy (write-in)
| party = Independent (United States)
| votes = 1
| percentage = 0.0
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 241,726
| percentage = 100.0
}}
{{Election box hold with party link no change
| winner = Republican Party (United States)
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Republican primary results, 2020
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Greg Pence (incumbent)
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 62,346
| percentage = 83.6
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Mike Campbell
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 12,234
| percentage = 16.4
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 74,580
| percentage = 100.0
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Indiana's 6th congressional district, 2020
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Greg Pence (incumbent)
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 225,318
| percentage = 68.6
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Jeannine Lake
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 91,103
| percentage = 27.8
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Tom Ferkinhoff
| party = Libertarian Party (United States)
| votes = 11,791
| percentage = 3.6
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 328,212
| percentage = 100.0
}}
{{Election box hold with party link no change
| winner = Republican Party (United States)
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Republican primary results, 2022
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Greg Pence (incumbent)
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 44,893
| percentage = 77.6
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = James Alspach
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 12,923
| percentage = 22.4
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 57,816
| percentage = 100.0
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Indiana's 6th congressional district, 2022
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Greg Pence (incumbent)
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 130,686
| percentage = 67.5
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Cinde Wirth
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 62,838
| percentage = 32.5
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 193,524
| percentage = 100.0
}}
{{Election box hold with party link no change
| winner = Republican Party (United States)
}}
{{Election box end}}
Personal life
Pence and his wife, Denise, own two antique malls.{{cite news|last1=Pathé|first1=Simone|title=Inside the Antique Mall That's Greg Pence's Largest Asset|url=https://www.rollcall.com/news/politics/antique-mall-greg-pence-indiana|access-date=April 22, 2018|work=Roll Call|date=April 18, 2018|language=en}} They have four children and ten grandchildren.{{cite news |url=http://www.therepublic.com/2018/02/09/02092018cr_pence_congress/ |title=Candidate discusses Republican concerns with party leaders, including Second Amendment rights, aid for veterans |first=Kirk |last=Johannesen |date=February 9, 2018 |newspaper=The Republic |access-date=May 17, 2018 }} Pence is a practicing Catholic and attends St. Bartholomew Catholic Church in Columbus.{{Cite web|title=Learn more about Greg Pence|url=https://gregpenceforcongress.com/about/|access-date=2020-10-16|website=Greg Pence for Congress|language=en-US}}
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.{{cite news |url=https://www.wthr.com/article/vps-sister-in-law-on-life-since-the-election |title=VP's sister-in-law on life since the election |first=Adrianna |last=Pitrelli |date=October 6, 2017 |access-date=May 8, 2018 |publisher=WTHR |archive-date=April 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417131434/https://www.wthr.com/article/vps-sister-in-law-on-life-since-the-election |url-status=dead }} 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{{cite news |url=https://www.adweek.com/tvspy/nicole-pence-niece-of-vp-mike-pence-leaving-tv-news/186898 |newspaper=TV Spy |publisher=AdWeek |date=March 8, 2017 |access-date=May 23, 2018 |first=Chris |last=Ariens |title=Nicole Pence, Niece of VP Mike Pence, Leaving TV News }} and their son, John, worked on Trump's 2020 campaign as a senior advisor and is married to Kellyanne Conway's cousin Giovanna Coia.{{cite news |url=https://www.foxnews.com/person/p/john-pence |title=John Pence |publisher=Fox News |access-date=February 4, 2020 }}{{Cite web |last=NJ.com |first=Sophie Nieto-Munoz {{!}} NJ Advance Media for |date=2019-09-14 |title=Kellyanne Conway's cousin, Mike Pence's nephew to marry in Atlantic City |url=https://www.nj.com/atlantic/2019/09/kellyanne-conways-cousin-mike-pences-nephew-to-marry-in-atlantic-city.html |access-date=2023-01-17 |website=nj |language=en}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://pence.house.gov/ Congressman Greg Pence] official U.S. House website
- [https://gregpenceforcongress.com/ Campaign site]
{{CongLinks|votesmart=177876|congbio=P000615|fec=H8IN06129|congress=greg-pence/P000615}}
- {{C-SPAN|117156}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-par|us-hs}}
{{s-bef|before=Luke Messer}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Indiana's 6th congressional district|years=2019–2025}}
{{s-aft|after=Jefferson Shreve}}
{{s-prec|usa}}
{{s-bef|before=Trey Hollingsworth|as=Former US Representative}}
{{s-ttl|title=Order of precedence of the United States
{{small|as Former US Representative}}|years=}}
{{s-aft|after=Tom Corcoran|as=Former US Representative}}
{{s-end}}
{{Mike Pence}}
{{IndianaUSRepresentatives}}
{{USCongRep-start |congresses=116th–118th United States Congress |state=Indiana}}
{{USCongRep/IN/116}}
{{USCongRep/IN/117}}
{{USCongRep/IN/118}}
{{USCongRep-end}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pence, Greg}}
Category:21st-century Indiana politicians
Category:21st-century members of the United States House of Representatives
Category:American businesspeople in the oil industry
Category:American Roman Catholics
Category:Catholics from Indiana
Category:Loyola University Chicago alumni
Category:Military personnel from Indiana
Category:People from Columbus, Indiana
Category:Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Indiana