MOSCOW (Sputnik) — His family was of Irish origin. Mike was one of Nancy and Edward's six children. His father ran a chain of gas stations.
In 1981, he graduated from Hanover College, and attended the Indiana University McKinney School of Law in Indianapolis until 1986. Upon graduation, he worked as an attorney in private practice.
In 1988 and 1990, he unsuccessfully ran for Congress as a Republican candidate.
In 1992, he began his career in radio broadcasting and had a morning talk show that aired on weekdays in Indiana.
In 1995-1999, he was a TV presenter on a Sunday political show in Indianapolis.
In 2000, Pence was elected to Congress to represent Indiana. He stayed in the House of Representatives for 12 years.
In 2012, he was elected the 50th governor of Indiana and took office on January 14, 2013.
Mike Pence is known for his ultra-conservative views. In Congress, he voted for the invasion of Iraq, against closing the Guantanamo Bay detention camp and opposed legalizing same-sex marriage. During his term as governor, he signed a law allowing organizations and companies to fire or deny jobs to people on religious grounds or because of their non-traditional sexual orientation. Under Pence, punishment was toughened for abortion in Indiana. Pence also tried to ban Syrian refugees from entering Indiana.
On July 16, 2016, Pence officially accepted the invitation to run as vice president in the presidential campaign of Republican candidate Donald Trump.
On July 19, 2016, the Republican National Convention approved Indiana Governor Mike Pence as the vice presidential candidate on Trump’s team.
Mike Pence is married with three children.
