Mike Pence Is Real
Our visit with Mike Pence reminds me why I love living in Iowa. It has been 8 years since the last round of candidate visits to the state, and there is always one or two that somewhat surprise you.
I didn't know what to expect from our visit with Mike Pence. We have seen him for four years as the Vice President, but the VP position is rarely a spot of highlight unless people want to ridicule someone. So you really don't get to know them very well beyond what the media wants you to see.
This visit somewhat reminded me of when Bobby Jindal came to our town and visited us in the events room of the local Pizza Ranch 8 years ago. A person you didn't know a lot about, but curious to see how they act in person. And just like Bobby Jindal, we were very impressed. Honestly, even more impressed.
Mike Pence was making a swing through the western part of Iowa today, making stops in Sioux Center, LeMars, and Sioux City. We met up with him in Sioux Center at a local store inside the local Mall. As is with most of these candidate visits, the average age of the attendee is well beyond our age. Everyone else is working and can't always get the time off, so this demographic makes sense.
He said all the right things. He has years of experience so that is the least we would expect. But it was not a fake or a purely memorized presentation of himself. He did give a short intro of his life, but quickly transitioned to a question and answer period.
He said he was going to shake every single person's hand in the room. He did.
We often like to see how much time a candidate spends at each stop and with each person they meet. Do they try to shake hands and talk to people in an open conversation? Or do they just do the quick shake and picture and move on? He was in no hurry to leave.
Honestly, I don't recall any body guards or other people that were trying to usher us along. He listened to everyone that attended in a one-on-one moment if they so desired.
His wife was with him and she appears to be a significant part of his life and campaign. And they both talked about the importance of God in one's life and how that continues to play a role in his life.
If you get a chance to meet Mike Pence in person, I highly suggest you take advantage of it. He said he plans to do the "Chuck Grassley" across Iowa by visiting all 99 counties. If that is the case, I hope to see him again.
This is a man and campaign I can get behind. Will he be the one? It's still way to early for that decision. But he has certainly not been ruled out.
I didn't know what to expect from our visit with Mike Pence. We have seen him for four years as the Vice President, but the VP position is rarely a spot of highlight unless people want to ridicule someone. So you really don't get to know them very well beyond what the media wants you to see.
This visit somewhat reminded me of when Bobby Jindal came to our town and visited us in the events room of the local Pizza Ranch 8 years ago. A person you didn't know a lot about, but curious to see how they act in person. And just like Bobby Jindal, we were very impressed. Honestly, even more impressed.
Mike Pence was making a swing through the western part of Iowa today, making stops in Sioux Center, LeMars, and Sioux City. We met up with him in Sioux Center at a local store inside the local Mall. As is with most of these candidate visits, the average age of the attendee is well beyond our age. Everyone else is working and can't always get the time off, so this demographic makes sense.
He said all the right things. He has years of experience so that is the least we would expect. But it was not a fake or a purely memorized presentation of himself. He did give a short intro of his life, but quickly transitioned to a question and answer period.
He said he was going to shake every single person's hand in the room. He did.
We often like to see how much time a candidate spends at each stop and with each person they meet. Do they try to shake hands and talk to people in an open conversation? Or do they just do the quick shake and picture and move on? He was in no hurry to leave.
Honestly, I don't recall any body guards or other people that were trying to usher us along. He listened to everyone that attended in a one-on-one moment if they so desired.
His wife was with him and she appears to be a significant part of his life and campaign. And they both talked about the importance of God in one's life and how that continues to play a role in his life.
If you get a chance to meet Mike Pence in person, I highly suggest you take advantage of it. He said he plans to do the "Chuck Grassley" across Iowa by visiting all 99 counties. If that is the case, I hope to see him again.
This is a man and campaign I can get behind. Will he be the one? It's still way to early for that decision. But he has certainly not been ruled out.