Greg Pence
Greg Pence | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 14, 1956 Columbus, Indiana, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, politician |
| Years active | 1981–present |
| Known for | U.S. representative for Indiana's 6th congressional district (2019–2025) |
Gregory Joseph Pence (born November 14, 1956) is an American entrepreneur and political figure who represented Indiana's 6th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2019 until 2025. This district encompasses a significant portion of east-central Indiana, including Pence’s hometown of Columbus, along with Greenfield, Richmond, Shelbyville, and the southern segment of Indianapolis. Affiliated with the Republican Party, he is the elder sibling of former U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, who served as the district’s congressman from 2001 to 2013.
In January 2024, Pence declared that he would not pursue re-election to the 119th United States Congress.
Early life
Greg Pence was born on November 14, 1956, in Columbus, Indiana. He is the eldest among six siblings born to Ann Jane "Nancy" (née Cawley) and Edward Joseph Pence Jr., who operated a chain of gas stations. Raised in a Catholic household, Pence and his brothers took part in a 1964 parade supporting Republican presidential candidate Barry Goldwater.
He obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in theology and philosophy along with an MBA from Loyola University Chicago in 1983. Commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1981, Pence served for five and a half years, achieving the rank of first lieutenant. In 1983, his battalion was deployed to Beirut, Lebanon, departing shortly before the tragic Beirut barracks bombings occurred.
Business career
Pence is the proprietor of antique malls located in southern Indiana.
Following his honorable discharge from military service, Pence joined Kiel Brothers Oil Company in 1988 after his father’s passing and held the position of president between 1998 and 2004. The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2004. Operating through Kiel Brothers, he oversaw a network of gas stations and convenience stores.
Cleanup efforts related to these former business locations have reportedly cost Indiana more than $21 million. Pence also gained experience working for Marathon Oil and Unocal. In 1999, he earned election to the board of directors at Home Federal Bancorp and its subsidiary Home Federal Savings Bank.
2018
In 2018, Pence acted as finance chairman for U.S. Representative Luke Messer’s Senate campaign. In October 2017, he initiated his own bid for the House seat Messer was vacating. On May 8, 2018, Pence secured the Republican nomination for the congressional seat previously held by his brother Mike for twelve years. By mid-April of that year, he had raised and expended approximately $1 million, making it Indiana’s most costly race; his nearest competitor self-funded nearly three-quarters of that amount. In the November general election, he defeated Democrat Jeannine Lake by a margin exceeding 30%.
2020
Pence won re-election on November 3 by defeating Lake once again, receiving 68.6% of the popular vote.
Tenure
In December 2020, Pence was among 126 Republican members of the House who signed an amicus brief backing Texas v. Pennsylvania, a Supreme Court case challenging the legitimacy of the 2020 presidential election results that declared Joe Biden victorious.
After the January 6 Capitol insurrection—and despite rioters chanting "Hang Mike Pence"—Greg Pence voted to reject Pennsylvania’s electoral votes that contributed to Biden’s win.
In May 2021, Pence opposed legislation establishing a commission to investigate the January 6 attack, accusing Democrats of exploiting it as a means for “the political execution of Donald Trump.” The bill eventually passed despite his opposition.
In August 2022, Pence criticized President Biden’s initiative to forgive up to $10,000 in student loan debt per borrower. However, he faced accusations of hypocrisy due to having $79,441 forgiven from his own Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan.
Committee assignments
During the 118th Congress, Pence served on the following committees:
Personal life
Pence and his spouse, Denise, are proprietors of two antique malls. They have four children and ten grandchildren. He practices Catholicism and is a member of St. Bartholomew Catholic Church located in Columbus.
Denise Pence represented Indiana as a delegate at the Republican National Conventions in 2016, 2020, and 2024. She cast her votes for Donald Trump and Mike Pence in both 2016 and 2020, and supported Trump alongside JD Vance in 2024. The Pence family was present at Trump's inauguration, seated a few rows behind the president.
Their eldest daughter, Nicole, worked as a television news anchor in Indianapolis. Their son John held the role of senior advisor during Trump's 2020 presidential campaign and is married to Giovanna Coia, who is related to Kellyanne Conway.