Mike Pence to Take Historic Stage

Pence

Former Governor Mike Pence will be sworn in Friday as the sixth Hoosier to serve as vice president. His ceremony will take place in front of the U.S. Capitol building in Washington D.C. just before President-elect Donald Trump takes the oath of office.

Pence, a Columbus native, will be the first Indiana native in the position since Dan Quayle served as George H.W. Bush’s vice president from 1989 to 1993. The first Hoosier to become vice president of the country was Schuyler Colfax, who was Ulysses S. Grant’s second-in-command from 1869 to 1873. The other vice presidents from Indiana were: Thomas Hendricks, who died within months of taking office with Grover Cleveland in 1885; Charles Fairbanks, who served under Theodore Roosevelt from 1905-1909; and Thomas Marshall, who was with Woodrow Wilson for two terms beginning in 1913.

Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court Clarence Thomas will administer the oath of office to Pence, who will be using the Reagan Family Bible. Pence says "President Ronald Reagan placed his faith in a loving God and the goodness of our country. He set out to change a nation and in doing so, he changed the world." He added "it will be humbling to enter office with President Donald Trump, standing next to my family, with my wife Karen holding the same Bible used by President Reagan when he took office."

Pence completed his first term as Indiana governor earlier this month. He previously served as a U.S. Congressman for six terms.