All the sudden everyone from Indiana wants to run for president........

Pence stays focused amid political speculation

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His star is rising so fast on the national political scene that there's even talk of a possible presidential run. For now, however, U.S. Rep. Mike Pence just wants to keep his sights on his duties in Congress.
He's moved into the limelight by pushing the Bush administration and the Republican leadership in Congress a little farther to the right side of the political spectrum when it comes to trimming the federal deficit. He and his conservative bloc in the House, the Republican Study Committee, have forced House leaders to accept some proposals to reduce federal spending in response to the huge proposed costs for rebuilding after Hurricane Katrina.

Pence's fiscal conservatism is earning him favorable attention from groups such as the American Conservative Union, as well as the business-oriented wing of the Republican Party. BusinessWeek magazine recently commended him as a possible future House speaker.
In the past he has been a thorn in the side of President Bush and the leadership in Congress for being so outspoken about deficit reduction.
But with the Bush presidency bruised if not crippled this fall, Pence could emerge as a major advocate for the conservative wing of the party. National commentators are taking notice of him, and he is making frequent appearances on national TV shows. The 46-year-old former radio talk show host has an instinctive grasp of the news cycle from hosting a show in Indiana in the 1990s.
In a recent profile, Chicago Tribune writer Mike Dorning identified him as a possible conservative alternative in a 2008 presidential field dominated by people like Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani. Pence is young and relatively unknown compared to such candidates, but he appeals to the socially conservative wing of the party, which carries a lot of influence in primaries.
He also has an optimistic disposition toward the world, in contrast to some conservatives who are worried about liberals taking over the country and world. "I'm a conservative, but I'm in a good mood about it," he likes to say. "There is a tendency among some conservatives to communicate as if they have been sucking on lemons."
With his emphasis on cutting the budget, he might be able to do what few Republican leaders, except Ronald Reagan and President Bush, have been able to accomplish -- bring the free market wing of the party together with social conservatives. His credentials as a cultural conservative are well established, with a strong pro-life record and support for faith-based initiatives.
Short of a presidential run, Pence is clearly in line to contest for the House speaker position, with Rep. Dennis Hastert of Illinois planning to step aside in 2008. He also would be an obvious statewide candidate for the Republicans in Indiana, if Sen. Richard Lugar accepts a Cabinet post or Sen. Evan Bayh becomes president or vice president.
But Pence tries not to let the attention go to his head. Going home can be humbling in a helpful way. He sees his wife, Karen, and three children, 13, 12 and 11 each night at their home in Virginia and makes plenty of trips back to Indiana. "When I walk into the house, I'm no longer the congressman or the conservative leader," he says. "I'm just Dad."

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/arti...06/1002/OPINION