Former Indiana Governor Mike Pence takes office today as he's sworn in next to President Donald Trump.
Pence began his political career in Indiana nearly two decades ago from his hometown of Columbus.
Before Politics:
Pence was born and raised in Columbus, graduating from Columbus North High School, Hanover College and the Indiana University School of Law.
As a young man Pence was a Democrat, but says in college he became a Christian and his political views shifted.
1986: Pence graduates law school and begins private practice.
1988: Pence unsuccessfully runs for Congress.
1990: Pence again unsuccessfully runs for Congress.
1991: Pence becomes president of the Indiana Policy Review Foundation, a "free market think tank."
1993: Pence begins hosting The Mike Pence Show, a talk radio show based in Rushville.
U.S. Representative:
2000:Pence elected to Congress.
Pence represented Indiana's Sixth Congressional District for 12 years. While in Congress, he supported proposals to limit government spending, tighten border control and defund Planned Parenthood.
He opposed the closing of Guantanamo Bay and frequently spoke against anything other than heterosexual marriage.
The Healthy Indiana Plan, later known as HIP 2.0, offers two levels of coverage and hinges on a health savings account. Since HIP 2.0, an estimated 350,000 low income Hoosiers are now covered.
Apr. 2015:Pence signs the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
Some said RFRA permitted descrimination against the LGBT community. Pence's approval ratings fell and tourism officials scrambled to improve the state's image as an estimated $60 million was lost in Indianapolis alone. Because of the fallout, Pence signed a revised version of the law, known as the "RFRA Fix." Even with the revised language, tourism groups and businesses worried about the fallout.
Mar. 2016: Pence signs controversial abortion bill into law.
The law bans abortions performed solely because of a fetus' sex, race or potential disability. The measure also imposes new guidelines for handling aborted and miscarried fetal remains.
The ACLU challenged portions of the law on behalf of Planned Parenthood and a federal judge in June temporarily blocked certain provisions in the legislation from taking effect as the lawsuit makes its way through court.
The ACLU filed a second lawsuit that aims to strike down a portion of the law that requires women to have an ultrasound at least 18 hours before an abortion.
Apr. 2016: Pence endorses Ted Cruz in the Republican primary election.
Pence also campaigned with Cruz in Fort Wayne in May. Moments after Cruz dropped out of the race after a decisive loss to Trump in Indiana, Pence tweeted his support for Trump.
Donald Trump had repeatedly said Hoosier native Judge Gonzalo Curiel wasn't impartial when ruling on a case involving Trump because of Curiel's Mexican heritage and Trump's pledge to build a wall on America's southern border.
Pence called the comments "inappropriate" and said a judge's partiality should never be questioned because of their ethnic background.
Jul. 2016:Trump officially names Pence as his running mate.
