Yesterday, Mike and Karen joined more than 100 attendees at Thursday’s “Women for Pence” lunch, the second event for the “Women for Pence” coalition. We were truly honored to be joined by such strong, successful women, including Lt. Governor Becky Skillman and former Indiana State Treasurer Marjorie O’Laughlin. Your leadership in Indiana has impacted the lives of countless Hoosiers, and we are so encouraged to have your support as we continue on the campaign trail. To get involved with “Women for Pence,” please visit www.mikepence.com/volunteer and create or update your volunteer profile interests.

Following the “Women for Pence” lunch, Mike joined more than 200 men and women at the “Young Professionals for Pence” event. Also in attendance at this event were three of the youngest mayors in Indiana: Ryan Daniel of Columbia City, Chris McBarnes of Frankfort and Blair Milo of La Porte. It was great to visit with so many bright, young men and women, and we look forward to the future of Indiana under their leadership.

As our campaign continues to build momentum, we’re thrilled to know we have the support of so many strong, dedicated Hoosiers. Thank you for your encouragement as we work to build an even better Indiana!

Mike Pence, Indianapolis Business Journal, 1/21/2012

Question: One of Mitch Daniels’ first acts as governor in 2005 was to end collective bargaining for state employees and to start a system of merit pay. What is your policy regarding state employees, unions and merit pay?

Answer: Every day, thousands of dedicated Hoosier public servants go to work for the people of Indiana. There was a time when these state employees were maligned as nameless, faceless bureaucrats. In recent years, Indiana has made great strides toward changing that impression and improving state government.

The reforms of the public employee system by Gov. Mitch Daniels and the General Assembly have made government leaner and more efficient. As a result, productivity and performance are on the rise: Business permits are now processed faster and BMV wait times are down. We also have the fewest number of state employees since 1975.

Reforms like introducing performance metrics, merit-based pay and employee bonuses are a good start to achieving a state government where Hoosier taxpayers see a good return for their tax dollars.

To align state government to support the kind of private-sector job growth necessary to get unemployed Hoosiers back to work, Indiana needs the best employees possible. As governor, I will continue to reward state employees for good performance and continually look for ways to attract, train and retain top employees.

I have long supported providing greater freedom in the workplace. Since collective bargaining for state employees ended in 2005, it is no surprise that few state employees choose to pay union dues, or that 90 percent of state employees choose health care packages that offer more freedom for health decisions. These changes not only improved state government, but also helped Indiana modernize its work force and maintain a strong fiscal position.

Recent reforms were not limited to state employees. Indiana’s teachers previously had a system where seniority, not performance, determined pay and employment status.

When cutbacks were necessary, many promising teachers were laid off because they did not have seniority. As a result, our children lost out on a quality education. I’m thankful that we now have a system where we can attract, train, pay and retain the best teachers.

Despite the progress made, there is much work to do. Good ideas in government begin with great employees, and I want to give state employees more incentives for creativity. For example, in addition to the current pay for performance and other incentives, we should consider additional rewards for cost-saving ideas.

As governor, I also will work to offer competitive pension benefits. Today’s young, mobile work force sees little value in pension benefits that accrue only if they work for state government for a certain number of years. The General Assembly took a step in this direction in 2011 when it authorized a program where most new employees could opt completely into a defined contribution pension system. In the future, we will consider additional steps to modernize state employee pensions.

Finally, our private-sector employees need the same freedoms our public-sector employees enjoy. Economic freedom means jobs and economic freedom begins in the workplace. No Hoosier worker should be compelled to join a union or pay dues as a condition of employment. I applaud the efforts of Daniels and our leaders in the General Assembly on this issue and as governor I will work to ensure the economic freedom of every Hoosier worker.

For state government to serve the goal of supporting private-sector job growth, it needs an innovative, flexible work force that is positioned to meet the challenges of the future. With recent changes, we have the tools in place to begin to recruit such a work force. As governor, I will seek the best and brightest talent for state government and continually re-evaluate and reform the employee policies needed to recruit and retain them.•

Mike Pence for Indiana announced today that it raised more than $5 million since announcing for governor last May. Since then, we have traveled across the state, visiting with Hoosiers in towns from Portage to Jeffersonville, from Fort Wayne to Evansville, from Terre Haute to Elkhart and plenty more in between. Your encouragement and support is the reason for the success we have had so far, and we look forward to building on this momentum in the months ahead as we work to create good jobs, great schools, safe streets and strong families for all Hoosiers.

By Mike Pence, Special to the Courier & Press, 1/15/2012

Across our state and nation, we remember the legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and honor him with a national day of service. Although this is a day our national leaders have chosen for us to remember his legacy, our country would do well to remember his lesson of equality more often.

Dr. King’s lifetime of work and achievements are well known. From walking the dirt roads of the deep South to speaking to hundreds of thousands on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, he touched the hearts of Americans and further instilled the concepts of civil rights, freedom and equality into our nation’s consciousness. What began as a movement became a way of life.

His views were based on faith and principle. His courageous actions drastically altered life in our country. I pray they live on in the hearts of every American.

I was reminded of this as I walked the streets of Selma, Ala., a few years ago with civil rights activist and fellow Congressman John Lewis of Georgia. Our family’s visit to Selma to commemorate the famous civil rights march formed an indelible impression on our hearts.

Congressman Lewis recounted the beatings he received from police during “Bloody Sunday” as he marched next to Dr. King across Selma’s Edmund Pettus Bridge. As we walked arm-in-arm across that very same bridge, we gained an even greater appreciation for Dr. King and his legacy.

This legacy has come full circle. Recently, I had the opportunity to visit the new memorial honoring Dr. King in Washington, D.C. Standing in the shadow of his likeness, I was reminded of the profound importance and impact of his life.

The memorial stands tall and is composed of several large boulders. The center section, from which Dr. King is sculpted, extends prominently forward into a plaza facing the Tidal Basin. Engraved on that center section are his words, “Out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope.”

Dr. King fought against despair, injustice, inequality and prejudice. He brought hope to millions and the opportunity for a better life. For that, more than forty years after his death, Dr. King has rightfully been honored with a memorial in our nation’s capital.

But the real memorial to Dr. King will never be finished, for it resides in the hearts of every American who strives for a more perfect union. To commemorate this day, let us all rededicate ourselves to that cause which Dr. King so selflessly advanced, “that all men are created equal.” The devotion to equality that resides in the hearts of every American is the true legacy and most lasting memorial to the life and work of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

This week, we kicked off the new year and continued along the campaign trail, visiting with Hoosiers in Indianapolis, Nashville and Bloomington.

In downtown Indianapolis, Mike spoke to a crowded room of newly elected municipal officials at the Indiana Association of Cities and Towns meeting. This event brought together principled leaders who play a critical role in supporting private sector job growth in Indiana. We anticipate great things for Indiana cities and towns under their leadership and thank them for their service to Hoosiers statewide.

On Friday, Mike traveled to Nashville, Indiana, where he visited with supporters at Big Woods Pizza Co.  He talked about ways to keep Indiana growing and create jobs.  To view pictures from this stop, visit the Mike Pence Facebook page.

Continuing south, Mike and Karen joined the Monroe County GOP Women’s Club for dinner, an event that brought together a fantastic group of strong, conservative women. Thank you to the many who helped to plan such a fantastic event. Your words of support were truly an encouragement to us as we continue on the campaign trail. For pictures from this event, please click here.

Also this week, more than 35 volunteer members of the Pence Road Team gathered at campaign headquarters early Wednesday morning to kick off “Operation Certify.” These volunteers canvassed the state, traveling to all 92 county courthouses to deliver ballot petition signatures in order to get them verified so Mike will be on the ballot in May. A big thank you to all who took the time out of their busy schedules to help with such a critically important effort.

With only 100 days left until the May 8^th primary, now is the time to show your support. To get involved with the campaign, click here to join the team and get started helping today!