Karen Pence Is No Stranger To Life In Politics

Mike Pence's wife is accustomed to the spotlight, even if she doesn't embrace it completely. As Indiana's first lady, she's been noted as being camera-shy, but since her husband linked up with Donald Trump as his vice presidential candidate, she seems to understand that she will inevitably be thrust into the public eye. The Pences showed up to support Trump at the first presidential debate on Sept. 24, so it's likely that Karen Pence will be at the vice presidential debate cheering on her husband.

Although she has a pretty active social media presence, which she uses largely to highlight her initiatives and public appearances in Indiana, Pence hasn't publicly announced if she will be at the debate or not. But considering this is the only shot the governor has at debating Hillary Clinton's running mate, Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, it seems like something Indiana's first lady wouldn't want to miss, especially since she's been active on the campaign trail alongside her husband.

Even though she isn't well known on the national stage just yet, Pence is undoubtedly a recognizable face for Hoosiers. When her husband ran for governor in 2012, she appeared in a campaign ad and detailed their love story for voters, which apparently included their first date at an ice skating rink. According to her, it was "love at first sight."

As Cosmopolitan noted, Karen Pence is apparently an integral part of her husband's career. When he was elected governor, he installed a phone line directly to his wife in his office, according to CNN. Pence also assured that she would have the first first lady's office in the Indiana Statehouse, which was close to her husband's office. "It was pretty customary for Mike to get kind of down to the end and say, 'I'm gonna sleep on it, pray about it and speak to Karen,'" a Pence ally told CNN. Needless to say, she seems to have had a big impact on his career.

And at a campaign rally, this was Mike Pence's introduction for his wife: "I'm joined today by the highest ranking official in the state of Indiana, the future second lady of the United States, Karen Pence." Needless to say, as one of his most trusted advisers, it's hard to imagine that Karen Pence would sit one of the biggest moments of her husband's career out. The debate will air at 9 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Oct. 4.