Congressman Mike Pence has decided to run for another office – just not President:
U.S. Rep. Mike Pence shut the door today on a run for the presidency, but left wide open the likelihood that he’ll seek a different office: Governor of Indiana.
“In the choice between seeking national office and serving Indiana in some capacity, we choose Indiana,” Pence, R-Columbus, said of himself and wife Karen in a letter being sent to supporters. “We will not seek the Republican nomination for president in 2012.”
There were more than a few folks here in NH that are going to be some upset over this as they really were hoping that he, a "pure Conservative play", would run. And now, a whole bunch of folks are real happy that a rival has sat down.
And Senator DeMint may walk in? Oops, smiles back to frowns…
An aide to Sen. Jim DeMint (R., S.C.) tells CNN’s Peter Hamby he’s open to a presidential run if none of the other contenders proves sufficiently popular — or conservative — enough. DeMint will address a forum hosted by Rep. Steve King (R., Iowa) in the Hawkeye State on March 26, though advisor Matt Hoskins insists in an e-mail, “Senator DeMint has absolutely no plans to run for president. He’s going to Iowa to talk about the conservative agenda — nothing more, nothing less.”
Among DeMint’s advantages is the fact that his home state is one of the four early contests. Terry Sullivan, a South Carolina Republican consultant, muses, “He would certainly be the odds on favorite here.”
That would set up a play between him and Herman Cain, as they are both TEA Party favorites. I have spoken to both several times – it would be an interesting matchup…
