Back when Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels was still a potential candidate for the presidency, there was a story somewhere about how his relationship with his wife might be construed by some to reveal him as weak.  As I remember it, he had gotten married and after a time his wife left him and moved to California.  Later, she came back and they reconciled and remarried.

Why that history reveals Daniels to be weak, I cannot explain.  But apparently it did, at least for a few people.

If that was actually a problem for Daniels politically, then Mike Pence, Republican candidate for governor of Indiana, may have a similar problem.

At the end of an article in the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, there is a short discussion of how Pence will be traveling the state during his campaign.  First it mentions that Pence’s wife is a pilot but that Pence says he will “be spending more time in a pickup truck than an airplane.”

The article ends with :

His preferred vehicle would be a motorcycle, but Karen Pence has blocked that dream.

“I grew up on ’em, and I haven’t been able to close that sale since I got married,” Pence said.

Now, I would argue that this is Pence respecting his wife’s fears out of love for his wife.  But I know there are plenty of people who would see this differently.

More evidence that Mike Pence is thinking of running for president.  He contributed money to Republicans running for state office in Iowa.

I think he would have a better shot at  governor of Indiana (since the current gov is term limited and might run for pres himself) than he would have at president.  Still not getting my vote, though.

At this week’s Values Voter Summit in Washington the winner of the straw poll for President in 2012 was Mike Pence!!

This is just as I was beginning to think that Pence was more interested in being Majority Leader in the House than being President.

Note that the winner of the Vice President straw poll was also Pence, so the win goes to the second place Palin!

Yup.  That’s a ticket we can live with!  Pence/Palin!!

…as long as I only pat my lower back.  Click the Mike Pence tag for my earlier posts on this subject.

Mike Pence has not made any announcements that he is running for president.  But now he is in the top five!!!

The recent Values Voter Summit included a straw poll for 2012 and

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and Indiana Rep. Mike Pence each won roughly 12 percent of the 597 votes cast.

Huckabee won with 29%.

The momentum builds….

I first blogged that Indiana congressman Mike Pence was considering running for President in 2012 on June 17.

Congressional Quarterly picked up on my posted the idea on July 13 (as I already noted).

And now The New Republic also posts the idea (though with the caveat that he was not likely to win).

I notice today that Pence’s blog has now been completely taken down.  “This website has been disabled“

Is Mike Pence thinking about running for President?  I first asked this question on June 17.  Now CQ Politics thinks so, too.

House Republican Conference Chairman Mike Pence of Indiana recently added his name to that list [of potential candidates for president for 2012] by scheduling a trip to Iowa starting July 25 — just before the final week of the hectic July session.

Remember, you read it here first!!

Hat tip to TPMDC.

Is it my imagination, or is Indiana Congressman Mike Pence suddenly all over the national media lately?   As I looked at a video featuring the congressman this morning the thought jumped into my head:  Mike Pence is thinking about running for President (you read it here first!).

On the other hand, he hasn’t posted on his blog since April 27.

Then again, given the recent luck the GOP has had with social media*, Pence’s stale blog might be better than the alternative.

I doubt I’ll be voting for him.

* See also TPMDC.