Mike Pence has worked since at least 1988.
Mike Pence . After losing two bids for a U.S. congressional seat in 1988 and 1990 , he became a conservative radio and television talk show host from 1994 to 1999 . Pence was elected to the United States Congress in 2000 and represented and in the United States House of Representatives from 2001 to 2013 . Upon becoming Governor of Indiana in January 2013 , Pence initiated the largest tax cut in Indiana 's history , pushed for more funding for education initiatives , and continued to increase the state 's budget surplus . On November 8 , 2016 , Pence was elected as Vice President , after he dropped out of his gubernatorial re-election campaign in July to become the vice presidential running mate for Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump , who went on to win the presidential election .