It is official; Rep. Mike Pence will not seek the Republican nomination for President in 2012
Mike Pence’s Facebook page: Friends and Supporters,
Over the past few months, my family and I have been grateful for the encouragement we have received to consider other opportunities to serve our state and our nation in the years ahead.
We have been especially humbled by the confidence and support of those who believe we should pursue the presidency, but after much deliberation and prayer, we believe our calling is closer to home.
The highest office I will ever hold is husband and father. As a family, we feel led to devote this time in our lives to continuing to serve the people of Indiana in some way.
In the choice between seeking national office and serving Indiana in some capacity, we choose Indiana. We will not seek the Republican nomination for president in 2012. [MORE]
On the down side, this means one less true conservative candidate to choose from in 2012. On the up side, in the event Obama is reelected, Mike Pence will be an even stronger candidate in 2016.
The chief executive experience gained by being a governor is nothing to sneeze at. For the last two years we have witness firsthand what happens when someone tries to run this nation without it. The GOP has some great new faces (e.g. Allen West, Marco Rubio, Michele Bachmann, Paul Ryan, etc) but they too could benefit from a stint as governor before seeking the Big Chair.