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Mike Pence, the next Irish American President?

By
PATRICK ROBERTS,
IrishCentral.com Staff Writer

Published Wednesday, January 27, 2010, 6:59 AM
Updated Wednesday, January 27, 2010, 8:32 AM

 

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Mike Pence

Irish American Congressman Mike Pence, 50, has decided not to challenge Senator Evan Bayh in Indiana for the Senate seat there.But the rumors are that the House Republican Conference Chairman may be looking at a White House bid for 2012.

The Huffington Post reports that Pence's name is being increasingly thrown around as a new face for 2012. He is currently the No. 3 figure in the House leadership and if the GOP were to win back the House in November it would be in large measure thanks to his advocacy and behind the scenes work.

A rock-ribbed conservative, if Pence were to run for the GOP nomination in 2012, he would have immediate Tea Party support.

He angered some of those same conservatives however, when he declared that he was willing to strike a deal on immigration reform with Democrats last year.

The reason he gave was his Irish grandfather. When asked about the reason he stated to The New York Times.

"April 11, 1923.”

That was when his Irish grandfather, Richard Michael Cawley, a Chicago bus driver, came through Ellis Island.

“We were especially close,” said Pence, who stated that he sees his grandfather’s thrift and hard work in today’s immigrant generation.

Pence also met with the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform (ILIR) during that immigration bill battle.

Pence spent the better part of a year working in Ireland when he was younger. He bartended and cut turf in County Clare and almost stayed there.

Despite his Irish Catholic heritage, Pence changed his religion to fundamentalist and has been a strong proponent of traditional church values ever since.

“Mike Pence could either be Speaker of the House or President,” predicted one Washington insider.

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10 Comments

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Posted by Tony Barry on Jan 28, 2010, 06:23 AM EST
Thank you YANK.....I appreciate the correction
Report abuse
Posted by sully1167 on Jan 28, 2010, 03:21 AM EST
Does it really matter if politicians are Democrats or Republicans? Can't it be agreed that both parties are corrupt? The US needs more political parties like European countries have.
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Posted by IrishAndProud on Jan 28, 2010, 12:20 AM EST
A fundamentalist...what, emeraldeyes? You could fill anything into that blank, you left. Christian, liberal, libertarian...what? And radCelt...you can attempt to marginalize 'tea party' people all you like, but it's irrelevant. They have massive support -- chiefly from independents, such as myself (and I'm not even a Xtian) -- and they've just won Teddy Kennedy's old seat, in the heart of (formerly-)Democrat country. That's pretty powerful. If they can win there, they can win, anywhere. And sneering down your nose at them is only more of what they've drawn their strength from -- sneering liberals.
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Posted by JosephOCasey on Jan 27, 2010, 08:28 PM EST
Pence will draw fire from the left. They hate a common sense approach from a good honest man. The Tea Party is made up of hard working honest people who love freedom. They believe in the US Constitution, limited government and rugged individualism. Horrible traits...right? This irrational hatred of them from the left is moronic. (left wing, big government, nanny state, tax and spend, socialist fanatics in my book).
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Posted by Emeraldeyes on Jan 27, 2010, 01:39 PM EST
God help us if we get a fundamentalist in the White House. The word itself makes me cringe!
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Posted by howareya on Jan 27, 2010, 12:09 PM EST
Yeah, I DON't agree with him on immigration reform. His dear Irish grandfather came to the US LEGALLY!!! What is it that they don't see in the difference. How would you feel if you were waiting years to come to the US the right way and the people that cut ahead are allowed legal status. What a fool you would be. My friend's cousin in El Salvadore has been waiting for 7 years...she is a dentist and would be an asset.
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Posted by torbreezy on Jan 27, 2010, 10:38 AM EST
YES ! ! !
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Posted by RadCelt on Jan 27, 2010, 09:52 AM EST
While I might agree with him on Immigration reform, I would oppose him as President, especially when I hear he is a fundie and would have immediate 'Tea party' support (right wing fanatics in my book).
Report abuse
Posted by TheYank on Jan 27, 2010, 09:41 AM EST
Tony, Representative Pence will be 53 on election day 2012. Surely that's not too young.
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Posted by Tony Barry on Jan 27, 2010, 09:32 AM EST
I think Congressman Pence is rather young for the position of President....I think he would make a great Vice Presidential canditade.
 


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