Who Is Karen Pence? 5 Thing To Know About VP Mike Pence’s Wife, Dinner Partner

Vice President Mike Pence once said in an interview — about 15 years ago — that unless his wife is with him, he never eats alone with another woman and refrains from attending events where alcohol is being served. The re-emergence of quote led to a massive cultural debate over the couple’s life, but first, who is Karen Pence?

The second lady of the United States is a major influence on her husband of over 30 years and has stood by his side through his failed attempts at running for the House, his time as governor of Indiana, stint in the House and now as the vice president. Here are some facts about Karen Pence:

Read: Vice President Pence Demands Apology From Associated Press For Publishing Wife's Private Email Address

1. The former first lady of Indiana is an artist who specializes in watercolors of historical buildings and homes. For a recent profile on Karen Pence, the Washington Post was denied interview requests but the second lady’s spokeswoman said she would be happy to contribute to a story on her “art therapy initiatives.”

2. Karen Pence — then Karen Sue Batten — was married to Steve Whitaker when she was 21 years old but the marriage ended when the couple grew apart. Her former husband told the Post, “We were kids. We probably didn’t necessarily know what we were doing.”

3. Mike Pence and the current second lady got married in 1985 after meeting at a church. The couple has three children — son, Michael, and two daughters, Audrey and Charlotte. She is a Blue Star mother with her son serving in the U.S. Marine Corps.

4. An alumna of Butler University, she earned a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Elementary Education and taught in schools for 25 years before her husband became the governor of Indiana.

5. Karen Pence was an important force during her husband’s campaign for vice president. To demonstrate the extent of her influence, the Post cited examples of her interactions with President Donald Trump. When Trump called Pence to ask him to run with him, he reportedly asked for his wife by saying, “I hear Karen is there, too? Can I talk to her?”

After Trump’s Access Hollywood tape — which recorded his inappropriate comments about women — was released, he called Pence to apologize and also insisted that he hand the phone to his wife so that he could extend his apology to her.