Pence, who is reading The Republic, thanks mayor for welcome sign

Columbus Mayor Jim Lienhoop got a very high-priority phone call Thursday.

Vice president-elect and Columbus native Mike Pence called the mayor after reading the Republic story about a welcome sign being placed on the west side entryway to the city.

 

 

Pence thanked Lienhoop for planning to place the welcome sign with words noting that Columbus is home to Vice President Mike Pence.

When Lienhoop was interviewed about the sign earlier this month, he had stopped for a moment after saying he planned on attending the inauguration because “we want to be there to cheer Mike on.”

Pausing, he then smiled and added, “I have to catch myself — I keep wanting to refer to him as Mike,” the mayor said. “I really need to say Mr. Vice President.”

In Thursday’s phone call, the soon-to-be Vice President Pence reassured the mayor, saying “You can call me Mike.”

The mayor said he was surprised that someone who is as busy as Pence right now, putting together a new administration and preparing for the Jan. 20 inauguration, even had the time to take a moment to thank a friend back in his hometown.

“And he is still reading The Republic,” the mayor said.

For more on this story, see Friday’s Republic.