Indiana Congressman Mike Pence was the keynote speaker at the 25th Anniversary Family Foundation Gala held Saturday night at the Richmond Convention Center. While attendance numbers were not available at the time of this post, the ballroom was packed with well over 100 ten person tables.
Guests included a Who’s Who of Virginia political lumnaries, including Congressman Rob Wittman, Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, former and perhaps future Senator George Allen and future Congressman Scott Rigell.
But the man the crowd was there to hear was Pence, who in September took the top spot in the Family Research Council’s Values Voter poll for 2012 favorites.
Pence did not disappoint.
Pence repeated the refrain heard often these days as the GOP hopes to retake the House this November. The GOP lost their way. Pence said that when he opposed such measures as “No Child Left Behind” and other government growth programs that he told his colleagues that if they continued to spend like liberals that eventually the American public would bring in the professionals.
The crowd responded with thunderous applause when Pence said that Republicans will not rest until Obamacare is repealed “lock, stock and barrel.” He recognized Ken Cuccinelli for his valiant fight against the provisions of Obamacare, making Cuccinelli the only other politician to receive a standing ovation at the gathering.
Pence gave three key points that he believes government, specifically a Republican-led government, need to address. He said that defense and national security must remain strong at home and abroad, that common sense measures such as tax relief and balancing the federal budget are needed to get the economy moving again, and that America must regain her moral footing built on honesty and integrity.
Pence brought his remarks to a close with that familiar verse from the seventh chapter of 2 Chronicles, “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
Pence sees the November elections as a critical point in the nation’s history. He rallied the faithful to work hard in the next few weeks to elect conservatives, and in Virginia’s case, Republicans. But while he said that likewise the Obama administration needs to be turned out in 2012, he gave little indication of whether he thinks he’s the man to do it.
The Family Foundation was founded in 1985 by the late Walt Barbee and has grown to be one of the largest and most influential Virginia policy based organizations.
