Greg Pence gets high-powered help in seeking his brother's old House seat

WASHINGTON — First-time candidate Greg Pence is getting a lot of high-powered help in his bid for the congressional seat formerly held by his brother, Vice President Mike Pence.

The Columbus businessman raised $565,115 since starting his campaign in October, according to his year-end disclosure report filed Wednesday.

His totals were boosted by contributions from House GOP leaders, big backers of President Trump and top Indiana Republicans.

The only other candidate for the southeastern 6th District who has a significant war chest is Republican businessman Jonathan Lamb of Muncie. Lamb has raised $582,638, most of it in personal loans to his campaign.

“I am not running because I come from a political family with ties to Washington D.C. or because I have deep-pocketed special interest money backing and funding my campaign,” Lamb said in statement Thursday. “I am running to make a difference for my children and all Hoosiers.”

Lamb took a more humorous approach to his underdog status in a campaign ad boasting that he, too, has ties to the White House. Showing photographs of sheep that President Woodrow Wilson used during World War I to keep the White House lawn trim, Lamb says what Pence doesn’t know is “that the Lamb family has been close to the White House for over a century.”

“I’m Jonathan La-a-amb,” he bleats at the end of the ad, “and I approved this message."

Pence declined to comment Thursday on his fundraising help, saying he is focused on “just trying to introduce people to Greg Pence.”

In his first campaign ad, Pence emphasized his ties to the community, business background and service as a Marine.

“Greg Pence is ready to serve his community and his country, again,” says the ad.

The winner of the May GOP primary will be the heavy favorite to win in the general election given the district's strong Republican tilt.

The congressional district is currently represented by Rep. Luke Messer, R-Shelbyville, who is running for the Senate.

Greg Pence took his first formal step into the political arena last year when he became Messer's finance chairman for the Senate race.

Messer, the No. 5 Republican in House leadership, contributed $2,000 from his political action committee to Pence’s campaign. House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California gave Pence the maximum $10,000 contribution from his PAC. The House majority whip Steve Scalise and the GOP conference chairwoman Kathy McMorris Rodgers also gave to Pence, as did several other members of Congress.

The vice president’s PAC gave his brother’s campaign $5,400.

A pro-Trump super PAC with ties to former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon contributed $2,500.

Top Trump backers who opened their wallets for Pence include Newsmax CEO Christopher Ruddy, Texans owner Bob McNair, and Dallas investor Doug Deason, both of whom gave Pence the maximum $2,700 contribution from an individual for a primary election. Deason, a member of the Koch brothers network, was among the Trump administration supporters who attended a dinner at the vice presidential residence last year.

Top Indiana Republicans who gave to Pence include Republican National Committeeman John Hammond, former state GOP chairmen Murray Clark and Allan Hubbard, school choice advocate Fred Klipsch, fundraising heavyweights Bob Grand and Steve Chancellor, Carmel businessman and past Trump business partner Steve Hilbert, Fred Fehsenfeld — a top contributor to Mike Pence's past gubernatorial campaign — and Marty Obst, who is one of the vice president’s political advisers.

Business interests that gave to Pence through PACs include tobacco giant Altria, medical device maker Boston Scientific, private prison operator CoreCivic, aerospace and defense giant General Dynamics as well as PACs represent electric utilities, oil and gas interests, ethanol producers and a PAC that supports anti-abortion candidates.

In total, Pence received nearly $90,000 from PACs while Lamb received none.

Lamb has loaned his campaign $550,000 to bolster the $32,552 he’s received in contributions from individual donors.

State Sen. Mike Crider, the first to announce a bid for the seat last year, withdrew from the race in December, citing a lack of financial support.

“People who would be quality candidates simply cannot participate because they cannot afford to self finance campaigns,” Crider said at the time, “and the political establishment locks down the remaining financial support.”

Contact Maureen Groppe at mgroppe@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter: @mgroppe.