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Mike Pence declines again on Evan Bayh seat
House Republican Conference Chairman Mike Pence (R-Ind.) is out again.After saying he was not running for Evan Bayh's Senate seat a few weeks ago, Pence was beginning to reconsider with Bayh's surprising retirement announcement Monday. But now Pence is out for good, even though the seat is now one of the strongest candidates for a Republican takeover. After consulting with his political staff Pence announced Monday afternoon -- for the second time this political season -- that he is staying in the House. There were several factors that Pence weighed in his potential run. First, he had already passed on the opportunity to run last month, citing the GOP's strong position in the House. Further, he's considered among the strongest candidates for governor of Indiana in 2012. Plus, Pence would need to gain thousands signatures by noon tomorrow for the Republican primary. Privately, aides to Pence say he was also concerned about Bayh's $13 million in the bank, but now Pence is going to hope for a Republican takeover in the House, which could propel him into a top leadership position in that chamber. And then he could still run for governor in 2012. Posted by: Fred 2010-02-16 |
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