New legislation in Indiana would pave the way for Gov. Mike Pence to run for both governor and president in 2016.
A bill by Republican State Sen. Mike Delph would allow any state official to run for re-election and seek a federal office simultaneously, the Indianapolis Star reported Wednesday.
“I think it’s good for the state of Indiana to have a sitting governor in the national conversation, and because of that I think it’s in our interest to make the obstacles and roadblocks for Pence as minimal as possible,” Delph told the Star.
If approved, the measure could make a decision to run for president easier for Pence, who will be up for re-election in 2016. The bill likely will enjoy favorable odds of passage in the Republican-controlled Indiana legislature, in particular if Pence pushes for it behind the scenes.
Pence is currently little known on the national stage relative to other Republicans who might run for president. A CNN/ORC poll released this week showed Pence winning just 1 percent of support among Republicans, positioning him well at the rear of the pack.
But Pence is nonetheless well-regarded among many influential conservative Republicans and donors, and thus is considered a reasonably viable dark horse candidate should he run for president.
Pence is not the only potential candidate who might face a choice between running for president and seeking re-election. Sens. Rand Paul and Marco Rubio also will be up for re-election in 2016. Rubio has said he will seek only one office. Paul, who tried and failed to change Kentucky law to permit him to run for two offices, nevertheless appears poised to run for both and recently announced plans to run for re-election to the Senate.
