Rep. Mike Pence visited with students at Muncie Central High School Friday as part of a series of meetings he's scheduled around the state to gather thoughts from Hoosiers on what he should do next.
After announcing Thursday he won't be seeking a presidential nomination for 2012, he's left to decide if he should run for governor or seek another term in Congress.
"We're more interested in serving than seeking," he told reporters at Muncie Central.
This is Pence's sixth term serving as representative for Indiana's sixth district, which includes Muncie and East Central Indiana. Originally from Kokomo, Ind., Pence received a degree in American History from Hanover College and a law degree from Indiana University.
He talked to students in Todd Gibson's United States Government class about freedom, family and his future of serving Indiana.
"We're not going to be running for president at the end of the year," he said. "At the end of the day I'm the kid who grew up on 31st Street, down from Haw Creek. I had a corn field in my backyard."
Pence said his family prayed and considered the idea of running for president, but the decision in his heart never wavered.
"I think it was Thomas Jefferson who said, ‘If your heart is right, you feet are swift,'" Pence said. "I've been in Washington here 10 years on and off. It's very humbling, I've got to tell you, to hear some of the things that people have said."
Pence talked about his respect for President Barack Obama, even though they often disagree on policy. He talked about Indiana being poised for a strong regrowth in the economy and about paying respect to Indiana families who have lost someone overseas in Iraq or Afghanistan.
And he peppered in some laughs.
"I don't see any of it [the job of being a Congressman] as being really hard," he said. "It's all indoor work, mostly air conditioned. I've had jobs where I was bent over all day picking beans, getting paid $5 a bushel. That was a hard job."
Senior Merlyn Florez asked Pence why he wasn't going to run for president and later what was the best part about being a congressman. Pence said he was impressed and asked him to stay after the rest of the class was dismissed.
"I think he's a great governor," Florez said. "I think he would do a lot for Indiana, and he loves this place.
"I think we're doing really well [as a country]. We're united, we have our moments. I have a feeling this morning he influenced a lot of people here to follow their dreams."
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