2016 Vice Presidential prospects: on Principles & Values


Mike Pence: I'm Christian, conservative, & Republican, in that order

During Mike Pence's six terms in Congress and four years as governor, the born-again Christian described himself as a "happy warrior" for conservative principles. A former radio talk show host who compared himself to "Rush Limbaugh on decaf," Pence emphasized his communication skills, creating a radio studio in his congressional office and winning a leadership post focused on messaging. Republican ...in that order," said Pence, on numerous occasions.
Source: Indianapolis Star on 2016 Veepstakes: "Pence: His Own Words" Jul 14, 2016

Tim Kaine: Catholicism & Quakerism influence his political views

Kaine has reflected on how Catholicism informs his views on race, poverty and cultural diversity, which he calls "God's rich tapestry." During a C-SPAN interview, Kaine said one of the spiritual phrases he lives by is by George Fox, who founded Quakerism: "Walk cheerfully over the earth, answering that of God in everyone."
Source: 2016 Veepstakes: Heavy.com, "Wife, kids, parents" Apr 26, 2016

Tim Kaine: Authenticity as Senator means expressing religiosity

Three deeply religious senators spoke at a panel discussion on Capitol Hill about the interplay between religion and politics, and how their faith shaped their personal and political lives. "One stereotype would be, 'I'm a religious person and my job is to enact my religious beliefs on others.' The other is 'I'm a religious person and I should keep that out of the public sphere,'" Virginia Democrat Tim Kaine said. "I should authentically be who I am, just like I would share that I'm a fan of the Kansas City Chiefs," said Kaine, a Catholic educated at an all-boys Jesuit high school.

Kaine described how he began sending money to a Jesuit mission in El Progreso, Honduras, as a junior in high school. While at Harvard Law School, he took a nine-month break to teach there on a mission trip.

Source: 2016 Veepstakes: Rollcall.com, "Religion Shaped" Aug 17, 2014

Mike Pence: Voted for Carter in 1980 over Reagan but views changed since

Mike Pence has been running for office basically since grade school-the only thing that has changed is his political party. The native Hoosier was born in 1959 to a family of Irish Catholic Democrats (in that order). Growing up in Columbus, he kept a box of Kennedy clippings; by 15, he was youth coordinator for the Bartholomew County Democrats. After high school, Pence headed an hour southeast to Hanover College, where he majored in history. Hanover was also where Pence went through two important transformations. The first was political. Pence worked on his senior thesis with a professor who was a strict originalist who loaded his syllabus in his infamous Constitutional and Legal History class with the Founders' own writings, and Pence began to warm to the ideas of limited government. It took time (he still voted for Carter in 1980), but Pence's politics were beginning to change.
Source: Indianapolis Monthly on 2016 Veepstakes, "INcoming" Jan 2, 2013

Mike Pence: I was Tea Party before it was cool

Pence insisted on a polite tone--"Rush Limbaugh on decaf," was one of his slogans--and he regularly invited Evan Bayh, Frank O'Bannon, & even John Gregg, whom he called "my favorite Democrat," for interviews. But Pence's convictions continued to deepen. When Richard Lugar ran for president in 1996, Pence used his show to criticize Lugar for not being "conservative enough." There's no doubt that, during his 12 years in Congress, Pence spent a lot of energy on social issues. "Our present crisis," he argued in a 2010 speech, "is not merely economic and political but moral in nature." But Pence proved to be far more than a social crusader. In fact, it's hard to find an issue on which he didn't take--and passionately advocate for--a far-right position. It all adds up to a more consistent record than that of most Bush-era conservatives. As Pence put it in a 2011 interview: "I was Tea Party before it was cool."
Source: Indianapolis Monthly on 2016 Veepstakes, "INcoming" Jan 2, 2013

  • The above quotations are from Vice Presidential possibilities for 2016.
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2020 Presidential contenders on Principles & Values:
  Democrats running for President:
Sen.Michael Bennet (D-CO)
V.P.Joe Biden (D-DE)
Mayor Mike Bloomberg (I-NYC)
Gov.Steve Bullock (D-MT)
Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D-IN)
Sen.Cory Booker (D-NJ)
Secy.Julian Castro (D-TX)
Gov.Lincoln Chafee (L-RI)
Rep.John Delaney (D-MD)
Rep.Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI)
Sen.Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
Gov.Deval Patrick (D-MA)
Sen.Bernie Sanders (I-VT)
CEO Tom Steyer (D-CA)
Sen.Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)
Marianne Williamson (D-CA)
CEO Andrew Yang (D-NY)

2020 Third Party Candidates:
Rep.Justin Amash (L-MI)
CEO Don Blankenship (C-WV)
Gov.Lincoln Chafee (L-RI)
Howie Hawkins (G-NY)
Gov.Gary Johnson(L-NM)
Howard Schultz(I-WA)
Gov.Jesse Ventura (I-MN) 		Republicans running for President:
Sen.Ted Cruz(R-TX)
Gov.Larry Hogan (R-MD)
Gov.John Kasich(R-OH)
V.P.Mike Pence(R-IN)
Gov.Mark Sanford (R-SC)
Pres.Donald Trump(R-NY)
Rep.Joe Walsh (R-IL)
Gov.Bill Weld(R-MA & L-NY)

2020 Withdrawn Democratic Candidates:
Sen.Stacey Abrams (D-GA)
Mayor Bill de Blasio (D-NYC)
Sen.Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)
Sen.Mike Gravel (D-AK)
Sen.Kamala Harris (D-CA)
Gov.John Hickenlooper (D-CO)
Gov.Jay Inslee (D-WA)
Mayor Wayne Messam (D-FL)
Rep.Seth Moulton (D-MA)
Rep.Beto O`Rourke (D-TX)
Rep.Tim Ryan (D-CA)
Adm.Joe Sestak (D-PA)
Rep.Eric Swalwell (D-CA)
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Page last updated: Nov 30, 2021