A familiar face will be joining Vice President Mike Pence in Washington. Hoosier voters elected older brother and Columbus resident Greg Pence the next 6th District representative in the U.S. House.
Greg Pence, 61, a small-business owner and former Marine seeking elected office for the first time, won the congressional office that his brother held before a successful 2012 gubernatorial bid and joining Donald Trump’s presidential ticket in 2016.
He will succeed Republican Luke Messer, who served three terms before running unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate this year, losing to Mike Braun in the GOP primary.
“Thanks to all of you for this immense pleasure. I’m honored to be your next congressman for Indiana’s 6th District,” Greg Pence told the crowd during his victory speech at the Republican election party, at about 8 p.m. at the Factory 12 Event Loft in downtown Columbus.
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The Associated Press called the race for Pence at 8:37 p.m. with 65 percent of precincts in and Pence leading with 62 percent of the vote to Democratic opponent Jeannine Lake’s 35 percent.
Pence said he had a chance to speak with his brother, the vice president, after winning the election.
“He said, ‘Congratulations,’ and he’s excited that I’m coming out to D.C.,” Greg Pence said after his speech. He told the crowd of his brother’s call, too, noting that the vice president was sorry he couldn’t be at the victory party, but that “he had some work to do in Washington.”
In Bartholomew County, Pence received 16,159 votes (60.86 percent) while Democrat Lake, 49, of Muncie, received 9,606 votes (36.18 percent), and Libertarian Thomas Ferkinhoff, 56, of Richmond, received 782 votes (2.95 percent). All sought political office for the first time.
Bartholomew County as a whole set a midterm election record for turnout with 26,873 votes cast, beating the previous high of 23,949, set in 1982. The county had 50,729 registered voters, of which 52.97 percent cast a ballot. Also, the county set a record for early voting, with 11,780 ballots cast, beating the previous best of 11,731.
Pence will step into a job in Congress that represents constituents in 19 counties, stretching from northeast to southeast Indiana, and includes some of the central and south-central regions of the state. The job, which pays $174,000 a year, is tasked with making and passing federal laws.
He said his priorities when getting to Congress would be infrastructure, veterans, jobs, immigration reform and health care reform, in that order, based on what people in the 6th District indicated were priorities.
“I support the president’s agenda to fight for the middle class and ensure common-sense policies,” Pence told the crowd.
Nancy Pence Fritsch, mother of Mike and Greg Pence, expressed pride for the accomplishments of her sons.
“I think America means a great deal to them, and making life better for others,” she said.
Greg Pence easily outdistanced four opponents in the May 8 Republican primary.
He said in February that he was inspired by President Trump and Vice President Pence for what they’re doing for the middle class, U.S. economy and helping the people of the U.S.
Pence served as statewide finance chairman for Messer’s Senate campaign. People suggested he should consider run for Congress, which made him consider the possibility, Pence said.
The district has traditionally voted Republican, which Pence knew was helpful in a bid.
“I had a sense that once the seat became open that the probability of a Republican winning this district was pretty high,” he said.
Pence received strong financial support in his bid, generating a campaign fundraising advantage of about 50-1 over Lake. He raised nearly $2.3 million and spent more than $1.9 million on his campaign, as of the Oct. 12 reporting period for campaign finance information. Lake had raised $47,970 as of Oct. 12, while spending $35,834 on the campaign.
Lake, the publisher and CEO of Elite Media Group, which produces a bi-monthly publication, comfortably defeated five opponents in the Democratic primary. She’s said a motivation for her campaign is what she considers disturbing actions under President Trump’s administration.
Although a decided underdog, Lake came to Pence’s hometown to campaign. She spoke at the Bartholomew County Democratic Party’s quarterly dinner July 31. She participated in a candidate forum Oct. 18 at the Columbus Learning Center, as did Ferkinhoff, and attended the Columbus/Bartholomew County Area NAACP Branch’s 30th Annual Freedom Fund/Scholarship Banquet on Oct. 31.
“I felt like I have run a good race that I can be proud of,” Lake said. “I felt like it was something I had to do. I was concerned about my country, my district,” she said.
Ferkinhoff, a certified public accountant, filed for the Republican primary but later withdrew. He was announced as the Libertarian candidate in May.
[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”How you voted” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
U.S. House 6th District
(Bartholomew County portion)
Greg Pence (R);16,159
Jeannine Lee Lake (D);9,606
Thomas Ferkinhoff (L);782
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