Legislation Would Let Pence Have His Cake And Eat It Too

I personally have a problem with a state's governor running around the country almost full-time running for president when he or she already has a full-time job the voters of their respective state have a reasonable expectation they would perform when they ran for the office. Indiana, unlike some states, doesn't allow an existing state officer to simultaneously run for re-election to their state office and for election to a federal office. Under legislation proposed by Sen. Mike Delph (R-Carmel), the governor and state lawmakers would be permitted to simultaneously appear on the ballot for election to both their state office and a federal office, including president or Congress.

"I think it's good for the state of Indiana to have a sitting governor in the national conversation and because of that I think it's in our interest to make the obstacles and roadblocks for Pence as minimal as possible," Delph told the Indianapolis Star. Lawmakers like Delph would obviously benefit from the legislation as well should they choose to run for the U.S. House or Senate while running for re-election. A spokesperson for Gov. Pence says he's not behind the legislation. "This issue is not on the Governor's agenda, and as with all bills, should it reach the Governor's desk, he will review it and make a decision," Kara Brooks said. Pence is just returning from a 9-day trip to Israel, which he likely would not have taken if he wasn't planning to run for president.

The Star story notes legislation was passed in 1988 to allow Indiana's federal lawmaker to run for re-election and for president simultaneously. That legislation was intended to benefit former Sen. Richard Lugar (R) and former U.S. Rep. Lee Hamilton, who were both touted as presidential timber at one point earlier in their careers. Senate President Pro Tempore David Long and House Speaker Brian Bosma declined to say whether they would support passage of the legislation. As I see it, voters will be cheated out of deciding who holds a candidate's state office if he or she succeeds in winning both their federal and state races. That reason alone is enough to oppose it. We already have too many state officials resigning their offices prematurely and allowing their successors to be chosen in the backrooms.