Pence record of misplaced priorities: RFRA, declining $80 million Pre-K grant, growing wage gap for workers
Cardwell at 13:15 marker: “I think Governor Pence will continue to run on his record. He has a very strong record.”
INDIANAPOLIS – Indiana Republican Party Chairman Jeff Cardwell yesterday said Mike Pence’s record as governor is “strong” and he will be running on it for this election year. But the governor’s record is one that is full of divisive policies that have embarrassed Hoosiers, hurt the economy, and damaged the state’s reputation.
“If Republicans want to make this election year about Mike Pence’s out-of-touch record, we welcome the discussion. After signing RFRA, declining an $80 million Pre-K grant, and ignoring the growing wage gap for workers, the governor’s political agenda has only damaged the state economically,” said John Zody, Chairman. “Hoosiers now know Mike Pence is as an ideologue and someone who will always put his political agenda ahead of the best interest of Hoosiers. Gov. Pence’s record is why Indiana is falling behind the rest of the nation. We can do better, and it begins by electing John Gregg as our next governor.”
So Republicans want to discuss Mike Pence’s record as governor? Let’s take a look.
| ISSUE | MIKE PENCE’S RECORD |
| Economy | Under Gov. Pence, Indiana’s per capita income as dropped to 38th in the nation. [NWI Times, 3.26.16] |
| Economy | Using his own campaign dollars, Pence lobbied for and signed a repeal to Indiana’s common construction wage laws. Hoosier workers now do more work for less. [NWI Times, 5.6.15] |
| Economy | Mike Pence signed RFRA into law, throwing Indiana into a $250 million economic panic. The City of Indianapolis lost $60 million in tourism revenue. [IndyStar, 4.2.15] |
| Economy | Under Mike Pence, quality of life plummets to 46th in the nation, the state’s workforce ranks 42nd. [CNBC, 6.24.15] |
| Education | In 2014, Mike Pence declined an $80 million grant that would have established a statewide Pre-K system. [Statehouse File, 10.16.14] |
| Education | In 2015, Mike Pence signed an education budget that cut funding from struggling urban and rural schools. [Chalkbeat, 4.30.15] |
| Education | After calling for teacher accountability, Mike Pence makes an election year flip-flop by eliminating the I-STEP+ exam, embracing one of Glenda Ritz’s top priorities. [NWI Times, 10.27.15] |
| Education | To advance his own political agenda, Mike Pence strips Glenda Ritz of her elected duties as Superintendent of Public Instruction. [Chalkbeat, 5.7.15] |
| Infrastructure | A news report discovers that the Indiana Department of Transportation used $71 million in faulty asphalt – adding to overall infrastructure problem for state. [IndyStar, 9.21.15] |
| Infrastructure | Only after two interstate bridge closures did Mike Pence sign into law a short-term, election year law that merely maintains the current D+ rating for the state’s infrastructure system. [WFYI, 3.28.16] |
| Department of Child Services | After being late to the game with an epidemic crippling the Department of Child Services, Mike Pence hired additional DCS case workers, doing the bare minimum that’s needed for state. [Fox 59, 8.13.15] |
| Syrian Refugees | Following the Paris terrorist attacks, Gov. Pence runs to the mic to declare a ban on admitting Syrian refugees to Indiana, putting state’s “Hoosier Hospitality” reputation in jeopardy. [WISH-TV, 11.16.15] |
| Women’s Rights | In a closed-door ceremony and after members of his own party voted against HB 1337, Mike Pence signs bill into law. Indiana joins North Dakota with most restrictive laws against women’s health. [IndyStar, 3.25.16] |
| JustIN | Mike Pence creates and then removes the JustIN state-run news agency. [CNN, 1.29.15] |
| Facebook Comments | In first days as governor, Mike Pence removes comments posted by Hoosiers. [IndyStar, 6.28.13] |
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