Is Vice President Mike Pence's brother considering a run for Congress?
Is Mike Pence's brother considering a run for Congress?
Greg Pence, the vice president's older sibling, isn't ruling it out and a source close to the Pence family said this week that a group of Republican donors is encouraging him to run for the seat once held by his brother.
Greg Pence, who once ran the family's Kiel Bros. Oil Co. gas station and convenience store business, has been a close confidant to the vice president, frequently traveling with him during last year's presidential campaign.
Greg Pence took his first formal step into the political arena earlier this year when he became statewide finance chairman for U.S. Rep. Luke Messer, who is expected to run for Indiana's U.S. Senate seat in 2018.
More:Pence's brother, other allies supporting Luke Messer for U.S. Senate
That would leave Indiana's predominately Republican 6th District House seat vacant. Stretching from Muncie to Madison, it's the same district Mike Pence represented for 12 years and one where he continues to enjoy wide support.
In an interview with IndyStar, Greg Pence acknowledged regular overtures encouraging a congressional run but said he's focused on Messer's campaign right now.
"The funny thing is I’m getting asked that a lot," he said. "And right now the only thing I’m focused on is helping Luke and Jennifer (Messer) make a big decision on whether or not they should run (for Senate)."
The eldest of six siblings, Greg Pence and his wife, Denise, now own antique malls in Edinburgh and Bloomington. Denise was also a delegate to the Republican National Convention last summer, where she saw her brother-in-law's formal nomination as the party's vice presidential candidate.
Greg Pence also served a brief and controversial stint as the top deputy at the Indiana Department of Environmental Management. He was hired in 2005 to streamline the agency under Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels, but the appointment raised eyebrows because he had no environmental credentials and his former company, Kiel Oil, had been cited by the agency for environmental violations in the past.
He left the post after just 2½ months.
Greg Pence's latest role as chairman of Messer's finance committee could help the political novice establish relationships with key donors for a potential run of his own, while also lending Messer a prominent last name to help with fundraising.
One major GOP fundraiser, Bob Grand, said Greg Pence "would be a great choice" to fill Messer's seat. But such decisions are premature given that Messer hasn't even officially declared a Senate run.
"I just think it’s too early to speculate," Grand said. "You can’t start running for a seat that isn’t vacant yet."
If he does decide to run, Greg Pence would almost certainly enter the race as a heavy Republican favorite, preventing what might otherwise be a competitive and potentially contentious GOP primary.
"When you're looking for a candidate to recruit, you want somebody with an ability to raise money, somebody who has name recognition, somebody who fits well with the district and those things would seem to characterize Greg Pence if he were to choose to run," said Robert Dion, a political scientist at the University of Evansville.
It also doesn't hurt to be the vice president's brother. Mike Pence plays a key role in Indiana politics, most recently aiding in Gov. Eric Holcomb's rise to power after Pence dropped out of the gubernatorial race to join Trump on the national ballot.
Greg Pence said any talk of a potential political career didn't enter into his decision to support Messer.
"I joined Luke’s committee because he asked me and he is a friend of mine and there was no another reason," he said.
Call IndyStar reporter Tony Cook at (317) 444-6081. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook.
Call IndyStar reporter Kaitlin Lange at (812) 549-1429. Follow her on Twitter: @kaitlin_lange.