Pence takes campaign detour to RNC - 13 WTHR Indianapolis

Several top Indiana Republicans were in the audience as vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan accepted his nomination at the Republican National Convention Wednesday night.

That group included Congressman Mike Pence (R-Indiana), who made the trip to Tampa, even though he is in the middle of a gubernatorial campaign in Indiana.

When Mitt and Ann Romney joined hands after Ann's speech to the convention Tuesday, Mike and Karen Pence could relate. They were on the floor in Tampa earlier in the evening.

"I thought it was a home run," Pence told a member of Indiana's delegation.

Pence, at one time, had considered throwing his hat into the ring in the run for the presidency, but decided to run for Indiana governor instead. He says there are no regrets about that decision.

"This is Indiana's moment. It's an opportunity for us to really build on the progress of the last eight years and I really couldn't be more excited to lead Indiana as governor at this time," he said.

The Pences got up early Wednesday morning to speak to the Indiana delegation's morning breakfast. Some members of the group didn't get back to their hotel rooms until 4 a.m. Wednesday due to transportation issues, but still formed a good crowd at the 7 a.m. breakfast.

"Paul Ryan is my true friend and he's going to be a friend of freedom and he's going to hit a home run tonight. America is going to see Paul and Janna Ryan for the outstanding family, the outstanding leaders they are, he's going to make a great Vice President of the United States," Pence said.

David Gregory, moderator of NBC's "Meet The Press," says the Pence gubernatorial campaign is formidable.

"As a leader in the House, a strong Conservative voice, certainly, somebody that was thinking about running for the presidency. So I think he will be a formidable candidate," Gregory said.

Pence says while he enjoys rubbing shoulders with Republicans from all around the country, he really needs to get back to Indiana to rub shoulders with the voters in his state.