Mike Pence For President?

The more I learn about Mike Pence, the more I like him. I'm thinking that this is a good idea:

A group of conservatives led by former Rep. Jim Ryun (R-Kan.) plans to start an independent expenditure campaign aimed at getting Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) to run for president.

America’s President Committee will begin a signature-gathering effort this week to encourage Pence to get into the presidential race. Its website, www.theconservativechampion.org, went live Monday. An open letter to Pence on the site’s home page assures the congressman: "You are uniquely qualified to take America’s helm at this moment of great peril."

Pence has gotten buzz on the right in part because he’s seen as a candidate who could unify the three traditional constituencies within the GOP — social conservatives, economic conservatives and foreign policy conservatives.

Pence is a champion of the healthcare repeal, is leading the charge on alternate GOP healthcare proprosals, and is also the chief sponsor of a bill to deny Title X funding to Planned Parenthood.

There's a lot to like; we should be taking a good look at him. Here's his YouTube Channel.



Here's more from the Wall Street Journal:

Conservative leaders are certainly beating the drum for a Pence run. This week, Mr. Pence will receive a letter of support for a presidential bid from, among others, Dick Armey, a former Republican House majority leader; Brent Bozell, president of the Media Research Center; and Morton Blackwell, president of the Leadership Institute.

There is also a petition circulating on the Internet to draft Mr. Pence for president. It is being spearheaded by former Rep. Jim Ryan and former Reagan official Ralph Benko, who has close ties to the conservative blogging community and the tea party movement. We're also told that a coalition of conservative state legislators in South Carolina is urging Mr. Pence to run and promising to do all it can to carry the early primary state for the congressman. Mr. Pence also enjoys the support of two former GOP congressmen from Indiana—David McIntosh and Chris Chocola, who now runs the Club for Growth. "Mike has a Reagan quality to him that is lacking in many of the other first tier Republican candidates," said Mr. McIntosh.

Mr. Pence won the straw poll at a gathering of more than 1,000 social conservatives [the Values Voter Summit] in Washington, D.C., over the summer—besting Newt Gingrich, Mike Huckabee, and presumptive front-runner Mitt Romney. One concern is what Sarah Palin's intentions are, since she would have a huge funding base if she runs. But the pro-Pence movement fears that she is highly polarizing and someone who would have a difficult time beating President Obama in the general election [This is my sole concern about Palin, but it's a big one.]...

One reservation about a presidential bid that Mr. Pence has expressed in private meetings is whether he can raise the money to compete with the well-funded Mitt Romney. But Mr. Benko said that shouldn't be a hindrance. "If Mike runs, the money will follow in a big way," he said. Mr. Pence has told friends that he will make a decision by the end of the month. (Emphasis added.)

Here's Politico on Pence's speech to the Values Voter Summit:

Pence, echoing a popular sentiment at the event, touched on one of the most vexing issues facing House Republicans: the inclusion of social issues in a governing agenda meant to propel the party into power. Some Republican leaders say their 2010 agenda should avoid culture war issues because they would distract from promoting job-creating measures. Pence fired back, saying Republicans can “can create jobs while protecting innocent human life.”

“We must not remain silent while great moral values are being waged,” he said.

Pence believes that faith in God and freedom will lead Republicans back to power...

Pence — who often says he’s a Christian first, then a conservative and then a Republican — is largely seen as having ambitions beyond the House...

“Those who would have us ignore the battle being fought over life, marriage and religious liberty have forgotten the lessons of history," Pence said. "As in the days of a house divided, America’s darkest moments have come when economic arguments trumped moral principles.” [Emphasis added.]