Indiana Governor Mike Pence: Where Does Trump’s VP Pick Stand On Gun Control?

News headlines are full of generic information about Indiana Governor Mike Pence. First and foremost, he was announced this week as Donald Trump’s running mate for the 2016 presidential election. But who is Mike Pence, and where does he stand on the issues? Several news sites have reported the Indiana governor’s voting record in respect to abortion and LGBT concerns. With the growing number of mass shootings, though, the subject of gun control is near and dear to the hearts of many Americans on both sides of the spectrum. What is the Indiana governor’s stance on gun control?

According to On the Issues, Governor Mike Pence is “rated A by the NRA, indicating a pro-gun rights voting record.” Also a proponent of gun safety for children, the Indiana governor has embraced the National Rifle Association’s Eddie Eagle gun safety program. Since 1988, Eddie Eagle has been teaching kids four essential steps in the effort to reduce accidental shootings and save lives. The NRA Blog notes these steps are simple for little ones to remember.

“Stop! Don’t touch. Run away. Tell a grown-up.”

The gun safety program has been updated within the past year. Watch the new video below.

The general consensus of those opposed to the right to bear arms seems to revolve around the belief that if gun control laws are made stricter, the number of violence and shootings will drop dramatically. Those on the other side, however, feel that stauncher laws will only curb a citizen’s right to protection.

The Indiana governor believes that gun safety is not found by limiting American’s Second Amendment rights. In 2012, directly following the tragic massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut, Mike Pence, at the time the Indiana governor-elect, addressed gun control and safety for children. Watch the video here.

“This is not about access to guns, it’s about access to schools. I think we need to stay focused on making sure that our kids in school are secure.”

“I’m one that thinks it’s always important to listen before you lead. It’s important to study before you decide. With heavy hearts today, but with determination in January, we’re gonna roll our sleeves up, we’re gonna study this, we’re gonna make sure our kids, when we drop them off at school, they’re coming home.”

In a report by Guns, in 2014 Indiana Governor Mike Pence signed Senate Bill 229 into law, making it acceptable for those who legally own firearms to have them on school property, provided the weapons are locked inside the owner’s vehicle. At the time, the Indiana governor’s office released a statement detailing Pence’s stance.

“Governor Pence believes in the right to keep and bear arms and that this is a common sense reform of the law that accomplishes the goal of keeping parents and law-abiding citizens from being charged with a felony when they pick their kids up at school or go to cheer on the local basketball team.”

Here’s the Hannity Interview with Pence everyone is raving about this morning: https://t.co/mxaPyLdSAH

— Bill Mitchell (@mitchellvii) July 16, 2016

Gun control is a hot topic right now, and will surely elevate as the presidential race draws closer to the end. Indiana Governor Mike Pence stands firmly in favor of the Second Amendment. As governor, he has consistently voted for the right to bear arms, but with an emphasis on safety.

What do you think about Indiana Governor Mike Pence as Donald Trump’s running mate? Where do you stand on gun control?

[Photo by Aaron P. Bernstein/Stringer/Getty Images]