Rep. Mike Pence speaks at IU

Mike Pence, a 2012 Republican gubernatorial candidate and congressman from Indiana’s 6th Congressional District, spoke with members of the public and the IU College Republicans during the group’s weekly meeting Monday in the Indiana Memorial Union.

Couldn’t make it? Here’s what you missed:

Running for Governor
With Mitch Daniels stepping down as Indiana governor in 2012, the Republican field is wide open, and Pence said he hopes to build from Daniels’ momentum.

“I think we’ve got the best governor in America with Mitch Daniels,” Pence said. “He’s built a better Indiana, but I think we can build an even better Indiana.”

IU College Republicans events director Hilary Leighty said the 2012 campaign and Daniels’ legacy are reasons the group decided to bring Pence to campus.

“I think it’s really important, especially with a strong governor like Daniels, because college students are a very important part of campaigns and we’re going to have a very important race in November,” Leighty said.

Indiana’s Economy
Pence challenged the audience to Google “Indiana’s economy.” He said they’d find that people everywhere are talking about it.

“I believe if Indiana stays on its current course of fiscal responsibility and reform ... I think Indiana can have the fastest growing economy in the (United States) in five short years,” Pence said.

Tuition Rates
Pence acknowledged that tuition rates are something the state has debated lately. He pointed to the state’s recommended 5 percent cap on tuition increases and encouraged the state’s university leaders to find out if they are doing everything they can to limit increases.

More importantly, he said, we should take a look at university completion rates.

“I read a statistic somewhere that only about 33 percent of students in Indiana finish a degree in four years,” he said. “We need to look into the fact that it is no longer the norm to finish a degree in four years. Obviously, that’s going to create a greater financial burden.”

Planned Parenthood
Outside the Georgian Room, three women from the Women’s Student Association stood with signs protesting Pence’s stance against Planned Parenthood.

“It’s pretty offensive to think he knows what’s best for us. He’s working to take away a lot of things that are important, and have been important, to my health and wellbeing since I was a teen,” senior Rachael Richter said.

The issue, however, was not mentioned during Pence’s talk.

Obamacare
Pence’s brief comments about President Barack Obama’s health care bill were met with enthusiasm.

“Give me a Republican president, give me a Republican Senate and we will repeal Obamacare lock, stock and barrel,” he said amidst applause.

I-69 in Bloomington
When it comes to I-69, Pence said getting the expansion done on time is critical to the state.

“I respect people who have concerns about I-69 in Bloomington, but I have to respectfully disagree,” he said. “There’s nothing more important to the economic vitality, the cultural vitality and the quality of life for people in southwestern Indiana.”

Childhood Heroes
Throughout his speech, Pence kept coming back to politicians and political activists, such as Martin Luther King Jr., John F. Kennedy and Bobby Kennedy, who inspired him as a child.

“The really cool thing about my story is that I’m just an every day guy from southern Indiana who got inspired by the heroes of his youth,”
he said.