Gov. Pence – Going to Bat for Millions of Jobs

After months of speculation, today Donald Trump tapped Indiana Governor Mike Pence to be his running mate. Gov. Pence will give Mr. Trump some conservative credentials, while a bringing a strong pro-trade voice to the 2016 presidential race – a perspective that has been desperately missing.

Both parties have mistakenly made opposition to trade and free trade agreements like the Trans Pacific Partnership a cornerstone of their campaigns. Gov. Pence, on the other hand, has seen for himself the jobs that free trade creates and is not shy about expressing his opinion on the subject. While running for Congress in 2000, Gov. Pence made trade a staple of his campaign platform, laying out his thoughts on free trade bullet-by-bullet:

It is clear that Gov. Pence was well familiar with the benefits of NAFTA and other free trade agreements. These partnerships brought thousands of jobs to the manufacturing and export-rich economy of Indiana. Once elected, he did not forget his platform, voting for every free trade agreement presented to Congress over his tenure as a Representative. Last year, citing Japan as Indiana’s largest trading partner, Gov. Pence penned a letter to Indiana’s congressional delegation that urged support for fast-track authority and the TPP.

Gov. Pence has proof to back his arguments for trade. The Business Roundtable recently found that trade with TPP partners supports more than 299,000 jobs in Indiana. Additionally, the 5 countries in the TPP considered “new FTA” partners account for $2.2 billion of Indiana’s exported goods. Right now, these goods are subject to hefty tariffs, which would be eliminated under the TPP, opening opportunities for Indiana business. It’s not hard to see why Gov. Pence’s personal experience has led him to support free trade. Here’s hoping he can show American how this common-sense formula brought jobs to Indiana and could translate to a thriving economy nationwide.