Gov. Mike Pence is being reported by numerous sources as the Vice-Presidential nominee of the Republican Party. With that, we would like to offer a brief history of the Bartholomew County native. This information is culled from various sources online, as well as in print:

Mike Pence was born in Columbus on June 7, 1959, one of six children of Nancy Jane (née Cawley) and Edward J. Pence, Jr. His family were Irish Catholic.

Pence graduated from Columbus North High School in 1977. After graduating from Hanover College in 1981, he entered the Indiana University School of Law, receiving his degree in 1986.

After graduating from law school, Pence worked as an attorney in private practice. In 1991, he became the president of the Indiana Policy Review Foundation, a self-described free-market think tank and a member of the State Policy Network.

Pence left the Indiana Policy Review Foundation in 1994 and began a career in talk radio. He hosted “The Mike Pence Show,” which was syndicated by Network Indiana on stations throughout Indiana, including News Talk 1010 WCSI in Columbus.

Pence ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 1988 and 1990, losing to longtime Democratic incumbent Phil Sharp.

In 2000, Pence was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in Indiana’s 2nd Congressional District after six-year incumbent David M. McIntosh opted to run for Indiana Governor. Pence was re-elected four more times by comfortable margins.

During his time in Congress, Pence ran for leader of the Republican Party in the U.S. House of Representatives, but lost to winner Rep. John Boehner, of Ohio. In 2009, Pence was elected to become the Republican Conference Chairman, the third-highest-ranking Republican leadership position.

On May 5, 2011, Pence announced that he would seek the Republican nomination for Governor of Indiana in 2012. He succeeded Gov. Mitch Daniels, also a Republican, after defeating Democrat John Gregg. In 2016, Pence was locked in a re-match of the 2012 campaign for Governor, again facing Gregg.

Gov. Pence initially endorsed Texes Senator Ted Cruz for the 2016 Republican Presidential nomination. Once Cruz suspended his campaign, he met with likely nominee Donald Trump and switched his endorsement.

The future of Pence’s political future will become a little more clear when Trump officially announces his selection for running mate during an event scheduled for 11 a.m. Friday in New York City.