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19. MIKE PENCE
Congressman
A lawyer and former talk radio host who was elected to Congress in 2000, he has described himself as "a Christian, a conservative and a Republican, in that order" and called for a "return to the values" of the 1994 Republican Revolution. Just 47, and youthful despite his white hair, a future presidential bid is a near certainty for this articulate, forceful Indiana congressman regarded on both sides of the aisle as a rising star.
Chair of the Republican Study Committee, a conservative congressional caucus, Pence is a campaigner for small government, low taxes and the outlawing of abortion. But he departed from the Republican Right orthodoxy over immigration, introducing a compromise bill that was an imaginative attempt to split the difference between George W. Bush and congressional Republicans.
Mike Pence is right between Glenn Beck and Ed Gillespie on the list- higher than GWB & Roger Ailes, and the only current House Member other than Ron Paul (96).
There's tons of reasons to want Mike Pence out of the House of Representatives. (other than my favorite, he's smarmy)
Mike Pence is refusing to retract his endorsement of corrupt, indicted Ft Wayne Republican Mayoral candidate Matt Kelty, even after fellow Hoosier Mark Souder has retracted his endorsement.
Mike Pence refuses to vote for the updated SCHIP, even seeming to be pleased about tanking it. (Convenient to roll out that "Fiscal Conservative" moniker 6 years later)
What makes us think Pence can be defeated?
First, Barry Welsh is an excellent progressive challenger. I urge you to visit Barry's wonderful website. (if you haven't already)
Current polling on our very unpopular R Governor Mitch Daniels is heavily in the Democrats favor, with Democrat Jill Long Thompson narrowing the gap a year out.
In the 2006 election, Barry came in at 40%, up 12% from the last candidates campaign. Now that his name recognition is out there, it can only go up.
In an online poll conducted by the Muncie Free Press, Barry received 69% of the vote to 24% for Pence and 7% Undecided when asked "If the election were held today who would you vote for?" in a poll that ran from 9/27-10/04.
In the '06 campaign Barry had an informal fundraising infrastructure and this time around a professional finance operation is underway. Outreach to progressive allies nationwide is also underway and we are communicating with more progressives at the national level than ever before who are coming to the aid of Barry with resources, volunteers and advice.
Finally, and probably most important. It's time. It's time for this country to start caring more for it's citizens, not it's corporations. The Republicans had their chance, the country knows it. They screwed up.
Bookmark Barry's site. Stop by occasionally, and if you find yourself with a spare fiver, consider dropping it in the bucket for the campaign.
#19 has to go.