Greg Pence

Greg Pence
Born	Gregory Joseph Pence 14 11, 1956
Birthplace	Columbus, Indiana, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Businessman, politician
Known for	U.S. Representative for Indiana's 6th congressional district (2019–2025)
Education	Loyola University Chicago (BA, MBA)
Children	4

Gregory Joseph Pence (born November 14, 1956) is an American businessman and retired politician who served as the U.S. representative for Indiana's 6th congressional district from 2019 to 2025. A member of the Republican Party, Pence represented a sprawling district covering much of east-central Indiana, including his hometown of Columbus, as well as Greenfield, Richmond, Shelbyville, and the southern third of Indianapolis. Before entering politics, Pence spent decades in the private sector, operating businesses including gas stations, convenience stores, and an antique mall in Indiana. He is the older brother of former U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, who himself represented Indiana's 6th congressional district from 2001 to 2013. A veteran of the United States Marine Corps, Pence served as a First Lieutenant before transitioning to a career in business. In January 2024, he announced that he would not seek reelection to a fourth term, and he left office on January 3, 2025.

Early Life

Gregory Joseph Pence was born on November 14, 1956, in Columbus, Indiana. He grew up in Columbus as part of a large family that included his younger brother Mike Pence, who would go on to serve as a congressman, governor of Indiana, and the 48th Vice President of the United States. The Pence family was rooted in the Columbus community, and photographs and accounts from local media documented their upbringing and family milestones over the years.

After completing his education, Pence entered the United States Marine Corps, where he served from 1979 to 1984 and attained the rank of First Lieutenant. His military service was a formative experience that he frequently referenced during his later political career. In 2019, as a sitting congressman, Pence honored the memory of Marines killed in the 1983 Beirut barracks bombing, drawing on his personal connection as a Marine who served during the same era.

Education

Pence attended Loyola University Chicago, where he earned both a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Master of Business Administration. His MBA training provided a foundation for the business career he pursued after leaving the Marine Corps.

Career

Business Career

Following his military service, Pence embarked on a career in the private sector. He became involved in a range of business ventures in Indiana, most prominently the operation of gas stations and convenience stores through Kiel Bros. Oil Company, a family-connected enterprise. An investigation by The New York Times in 2018 described Pence's business record as "mixed," noting both successes and significant setbacks.

The Kiel Bros. chain of gas stations, with which Pence was associated, left a costly environmental legacy in Indiana. An Associated Press investigation found that the company's gas stations had been linked to environmental contamination, with underground fuel storage tanks leaking and creating pollution problems that required cleanup efforts. The environmental issues associated with these gas stations became a subject of scrutiny during Pence's 2018 congressional campaign, as opponents and journalists examined the extent of the contamination and the costs of remediation.

In addition to the gas station business, Pence was involved in other commercial enterprises. He operated an antique mall in Indiana, a venture that received attention from media outlets covering his business background ahead of his congressional bid.

Pence also served on corporate boards during his business career. He was elected as a director of Home Federal Bancorp, a financial institution, reflecting his involvement in the broader business community of Indiana.

2018 Congressional Campaign

In October 2017, Pence announced his candidacy for Indiana's 6th congressional district, the same seat his brother Mike had held from 2001 to 2013. The seat was being vacated by Luke Messer, who chose to run for the U.S. Senate rather than seek reelection.

Pence's campaign drew attention in part because of his familial connection to Vice President Mike Pence, and in part because of the scrutiny directed at his business record. The New York Times published an extensive profile of his business background in April 2018, examining the financial and environmental record of the enterprises he had managed. Pence addressed questions about his background during the campaign, including in a question-and-answer session with the Greenfield Reporter, in which he laid out his positions on key issues.

Despite the scrutiny, Pence won the Republican primary and went on to win the general election in November 2018, succeeding Luke Messer as the representative for Indiana's 6th district. The district was considered safely Republican, and Pence's name recognition, military service, and business experience helped him secure a comfortable victory.

U.S. House of Representatives (2019–2025)

Greg Pence was sworn into office on January 3, 2019, at the start of the 116th United States Congress. He served three terms in the House, representing Indiana's 6th congressional district through the 116th, 117th, and 118th Congresses.

During his tenure, Pence focused on issues affecting his district, including economic development, agriculture, and support for veterans and military personnel. His official congressional office maintained a legislative portfolio that addressed issues of concern to the largely rural and suburban communities of east-central Indiana.

Pence's time in Congress overlapped with a period of significant political upheaval, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 United States presidential election, and the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. The Capitol attack had a particularly personal dimension for the Pence family, as Vice President Mike Pence was presiding over the certification of the Electoral College results at the time of the breach and was evacuated from the Senate chamber. Greg Pence was present in the Capitol complex during the events of January 6.

Pence's congressional activities were documented through his appearances on C-SPAN, where recordings of his floor speeches and committee work were archived. His campaign and officeholding were also tracked through Federal Election Commission filings, which documented his fundraising and expenditures across his three campaigns.

Retirement from Congress

On January 9, 2024, Pence announced that he would not seek reelection to a fourth term in the U.S. House of Representatives. His decision made him one of several Indiana Republican incumbents who chose to retire ahead of the 2024 election cycle. The announcement was reported by multiple national and Indiana media outlets, including the Associated Press, Roll Call, and WFYI, Indiana's public media station.

Pence left office on January 3, 2025, and was succeeded by Jefferson Shreve, who won the 2024 general election for the 6th district seat.

Post-Congressional Activities

Following his departure from Congress, Pence continued to engage in public discourse on policy matters affecting Indiana. In November 2025, he authored an opinion piece for IndyStar in which he argued against proposed cuts to Medicaid by Indiana state bureaucrats, writing that such cuts threatened rural hospitals and the communities they served. In the article, Pence called on the Trump administration to intervene, stating his belief in "cutting waste, not care" and asserting that "strong hospitals are the foundation of strong communities."

Personal Life

Greg Pence has four children, including a son named John. His family's experience during the period when his brother Mike served as Vice President was the subject of media coverage, including interviews with family members about how life had changed since the 2016 election.

The Pence family maintained deep ties to Columbus, Indiana, and to the broader east-central Indiana region. During the 2016 presidential campaign, the family hosted a rally in Columbus in support of the Republican ticket, reflecting the close-knit nature of the Pence family and their involvement in each other's political endeavors.

Pence's relationship with his brother Mike was a recurring theme in media coverage throughout his congressional career. The two shared a political lineage in Indiana's 6th congressional district — Mike Pence represented the district for six terms before becoming governor and then vice president, and Greg subsequently won the same seat.

Recognition

Greg Pence's service in the U.S. Marine Corps as a First Lieutenant from 1979 to 1984 was a point of distinction in his public career. His military background was cited as a qualification during his congressional campaigns, and he drew upon it in his legislative work, particularly in matters related to veterans' affairs and national defense.

As a three-term member of Congress, Pence's legislative record was documented through Congress.gov and the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. His floor speeches and other congressional appearances were archived by C-SPAN.

Pence's decision to retire in 2024 was noted by political observers as part of a broader trend of Republican retirements in Indiana that cycle. Roll Call reported that his exit, combined with other departures, had the potential to reshape the state's congressional delegation.