One of Pence's friends told me that the Lt. Governor said "I won't be running in 2007".
But, in an interview, Pence tells me he'll be on the ticket in '07. I'm not sure I believe him, but that's what he says.
There have been plenty of rumors about Pence's future in the Capitol hallways. The most outrageous has him quitting in the next two weeks. The most logical has him refusing to run with Fletcher in 2007 and seeking a job back in the private sector. Pence is a former federal prosecutor (BOPTROT) and U.S. Attorney before going into defense work with Joe Whittle and others.
In the interview, Pence says he and Fletcher have a "very good" relationship. I'm not sure if I believe that either. Sources in the offices of the Lt. Governor and the Governor say there's a lack of trust between the two men. That's nothing new. Every Governor and Lt. Governor since 1979 have had a lousy relationship.
Pence also says he hasn't been contacted by Churchill Downs about the C-E-O job that opens up this year when Tom Meeker retires.
You can watch the video of my full interview with Pence on our Political section where this blog is located.