The 2016 US presidential election was the most sensational in decades. The tense struggle of candidates and the unexpected victory of Donald Trump, who was initially taken seriously by few, demonstrated the ability of American politics to make unpredictable turns. The focus was also on the figure of the vice president, who, in accordance with longstanding traditions, plays a significant role both in the course of the election campaign and in the work of the new White House administration. It must be admitted that by the standards of US political circles, Michael Pence is a rather extraordinary person.
Early years
The current second person in the state was born in Indiana in 1959. Michael Pence comes from a large Catholic family. His parents owned a network of gas stations. After graduating from high school and college, Michael Pence received his Juris Doctor from Indiana University. Much to the dismay of his parents, during his student years he left the Roman Catholic Church and became an evangelical Christian. After receiving a law degree, Michael Pence openedprivate law firm. In the early 1990s, he tried his hand at media by hosting a socio-political program on Indianapolis-based radio station WRCR-FM.
House of Representatives
Future US Vice President Michael Pence ran for Congress for the first time at a fairly young age. In 1990, he left the practice of law to participate in the election campaign, but lost in the struggle for a seat in the House of Representatives to his rival from the Democratic Party. During the campaign, Pence spent money from the Political Endowment Fund for personal needs. At that time, such actions were not prohibited by law, but this fact ruined his reputation and became the main reason for the defeat.
Pence made his next attempt to climb the political Olympus in 2000. This time he managed to win the election and take a seat in the US Congress. Michael Pence was supported by the traditionally minded part of the electorate. During the campaign, the politician used a slogan describing his value system: "Christian, conservative, Republican, in that order."
Work in the House of Representatives was the reason for the rapid development of Pence's party career. In the zero years, he held a number of high positions in the hierarchy of the Republicans. Pence stood out among his fellow party members with extremely conservative views. Esquire magazine named him one of the top ten congressmen.
Governor of Indiana
Home state has become the next page of the political biography. Michael Pence narrowly won the bitterly contested 2012 Indiana gubernatorial race.
His activities in this post deserve special mention. Pence did not miss the chance to put into practice his conservative and Christian beliefs. The most shocking for the liberal part of American society was the law adopted in the state of Indiana, which actually allows discrimination against representatives of sexual minorities. A wave of criticism and controversy was caused by Pence's initiative to limit the number of abortions. The bill he proposed would ban abortions if the reason for the procedure is the alleged physical abnormality of the embryo, as well as its gender or race. This initiative could have made Indiana's abortion laws the strictest in the United States. However, based on the decision of the Supreme Court, the entry into force of this law was blocked.
Start of presidential campaign
In 2016, Pence was going to re-run for governor of Indiana. Based on these circumstances, we can conclude that the proposal put forward to him to become a candidate for vice president from the Republican Party was spontaneous and unexpected. Donald Trump officially announced this decision in July 2016.
After pulling out of the gubernatorial election, Pence has taken some steps to createthe image of a close-knit team of Republican candidates. In particular, he declared his full support for Trump's immigration policy and praised plans to build a wall on the border with Mexico.
Scandal
Further developments put Pence in a difficult position. The publication of audio recordings of Trump's obscene remarks about women was the biggest scandal of the election race. The charismatic billionaire has managed to incur the wrath of both the liberal and feminist public, and supporters of traditional Christian values. As one of the most conservative politicians in modern America, Pence also could not help but condemn Trump. However, he has made it clear that he continues to support the Republican presidential candidate despite his dubious moral character. Trump's public apology eased the tension somewhat. To everyone's surprise, the Republicans won the presidential election by a wide margin, thanks to the support of conservatives in small towns and rural areas.
Activities in the White House administration
In numerous photos, Michael Pence and Donald Trump give the impression of a well-coordinated and balanced team. The impulsive and sometimes far from politically correct president is balanced by a serious, mature and Christian-oriented deputy. Pence is rumored to have a lot of influence in the current White House administration becauseacts as an intermediary between Trump and the Republican congressmen. He took an active part in the selection of candidates in the formation of a new cabinet. Pence was present during Trump's telephone conversations with the leaders of many states, including Russian President Vladimir Putin. The second person in the US government visited a number of Asian countries. During these visits, he met with the Prime Minister of Japan and the Presidents of South Korea and Indonesia.
Continue fighting
The passions that were seething during the election campaign did not subside even after the inauguration. Opponents of the new administration started talking about the impeachment of Trump in the near future. Michael Pence in this case will take the place of the president. According to the British newspaper The Guardian, Trump as head of state is inconvenient for the American financial elite. Some representatives of US political circles argue that the only way out of this situation is impeachment. Michael Pence, in their opinion, is a completely acceptable figure for the owners of transnational corporations and large investment banks. Time will tell whether there is some truth in these forecasts or whether the statements of opposition-minded politicians fall into the realm of conspiracy theories. However, the persistent persistent attempts to accuse Trump of ties with Russia make us seriously think about the involvement of powerful players in the behind-the-scenes struggle.
Private life
Michael Penceand his wife Karen have been together for over 30 years. The couple have a son and two daughters. The politician met his wife in a Catholic church, where she sang in the choir. The media tells amazing stories about the mutual devotion in their family. Pence has repeatedly stated that he fundamentally refuses to hold business meetings with strangers without the presence of his wife. To communicate with his life partner, the politician always keeps a special cell phone at hand, the number of which is known only to Karen Pence. The son of the current Vice President of the United States is a Marine Corps officer and a veteran of the Iraq War. The eldest daughter studies digital cinema and literature, and the youngest studies journalism and international relations. Michael Pence's children took part in his election campaign.
