If anything were to happen to Donald Trump, the presidency of the United States would be inherited by Mike Pence.
But how much do we actually know about the 57-year-old Vice President-elect? By his own admission very little.
So here are 10 facts about Trump’s running mate, who lives in his native Indiana with his wife Karen, three children, two cats and two dogs.
- The Vice President-elect was not always Trump’s biggest fan – four days before the primary he endorsed Ted Cruz.
- He publicly opposed Trump’s proposed ban on Muslim’s entering the US, labelling it ‘offensive and unconstitutional’. He does however want strict rules on immigration.
- Pence has been in public office since 2000, for 12 years as a member of national congress, and since 2013 as Indiana governor.
- The long-time representative of Republicans was actually raised a Democrat. He idolised President John F Kennedy to the point that he still owns a box of Kennedy memorabilia.
- An Evangelical Christian, he has criticised sex education in schools and is staunchly opposed to abortion.
- He signed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act in Indiana last year. The law extended legal protection to businesses in the state who did not want to participate in same-sex weddings, citing their religious beliefs as justification. He was forced to sign an amendment after a week of protests from LGBT activists.
- He has actively opposed homosexual men being able to enlist in the army.
- He claims climate change is a myth that is not driven by human actions.
- He has previously opposed tobacco regulation and argues that, despite the research linking it to lung cancer, it does not kill.
- A lifelong fan of the Chicago Cubs, he is celebrating a second historic victory in the space of a week after they won their first World Series for 108 years.
Image courtesy of Gage Skidmore via flickr, with thanks
