Anderson, IN - While conservatives and others debate whether the GOP leadership should have acted sooner,  Indiana Congressman Mike Pence is defending U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert.

Pence calls Hastert a man of integrity that should not resign.

A senior congressional aide claims House Speaker Dennis Hastert was alerted two years ago about worrisome conduct by former Representative Mark Foley with teenage pages.

While Hastert brushed aside calls to resign, Indiana Republican Mike Pence, toured an Anderson business on a swing through his 6th district.

As conservatives debate whether Hastert should resign over his handling of the complaint, Pence remains a supporter of the embattled speaker.

"Like many American's and many of my collegues, I have concerns about how this matter was handled, but speaker Hastert should not resign," Pence said.

While Pence, chairman of a coalition of social and fiscal conservatives in Congress, rallies behind Hastert, his Democratic opponent in next month's election says Hastert should step down.

"Like 98 percent of the people in the U.S., I don't support Congressman Hastert. These people have been covering up for child predators and it just shows Mr. Pence once again is not using good judgement,"  said Barry Welsh.

Yet Pence stands to gain a leadership position if there's a GOP shake-up over Foley's conduct with congressional pages, which is now the center of an intensifying federal investigation.