Pence Picks Ellspermann As Running Mate

Sue Ellspermann

Mike Pence officially announced his choice to serve as his running mate this morning. Pence has tapped State Rep. Sue Ellspermann, a first-term House member from Ferdinand in southwestern Indiana who defeated long-time incumbent and House Democratic Majority Leader Russ Stilwell. Ellsperman is the founding Director of the Center for Applied Research at the University of Southern Indiana. She has a Ph.D in industrial engineering and previously owned and operated a business consulting firm. Ellspermann is married to Jim Mehling and has what she describes as a "blended family," including four adult daughters.

Ellspermann, 52, is viewed as being very conservative. She's pro-life on abortion and voted in favor of a constitutional ban on same-sex marriages. She also supported right to work legislation enacted this year and a legislative crackdown on illegal immigration that is being challenged in a federal court. Ellspermann went against the local favorite in the U.S. Senate race this year when she endorsed Richard Lugar over Evansville's Richard Mourdock. Mourdock overwhelmingly carried Ellspermann's district. She was viewed as being very vulnerable in her re-election race in a newly-drawn district that has traditionally elected Democrats.
Ellspermann must be formally elected by delegates at next month's state GOP convention before she officially becomes the Republican lieutenant governor candidate. Former House Speaker John Gregg has not yet announced his choice of a running mate. Speculation has centered on former Fort Wayne mayor Tom Henry.

The Evansville Courier-Press has more here on Pence's announcement in Evansville this morning where Pence kicked off the first of several announcements planned around the state today.

UPDATE: WISH-TV's Jim Shella questioned Ellspermann at the Pence campaign's Indianapolis announcement about why she voted in the 2008 Democratic primary. Ellspermann seemed irritated by the question and recalled that Indiana played a deciding factor in the 2008 presidential race on the Democratic side. She did not say for whom she cast a vote.