Pence pushes agenda with 1st state of state speech

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - Indiana's new governor addressing Hoosiers Tuesday night in his first state of the state speech. Governor Mike Pence outlined new plans for the state not only with his speech, but his actions.

"I am profoundly honored to stand before you as the governor of all the state of Indiana,” with those words Mike Pence began his first State of the State address as governor.
    
The speech designed to outline his vision for the next four years included: expansion in education, building roads and bridges, and of course his proposed ten-percent tax cut to Hoosiers.
    
But to get to the heart of what Pence wants to do, News 10 watched the address with Indiana State communication expert Dr. Mary Kahl.

"One of the first things he did in his state of the state of the state address was to bind all of the people together whether or not they voted for him,” Kahl explained.
    
One of the first things she pointed out was the composure of the new governor.

"He seemed to be very comfortable with his manuscript, but didn't seem to be very comfortable with his audience,” she said. “I thought he didn't look up (from his papers) quite as much as he might."
    
As Dr. Kahl watched more of the speech she noticed that he pointed to several people in the crowd to put a personal touch on the issues most important to him. One of those issues: adding more money to school voucher programs.

"Rather than talking in the abstract about school vouchers, he can show us an average Hoosier family of four whose children are benefitting from a voucher program," she explained.

As the address came to a close she felt Pence's first State of the State speech got his points across.

"You could tell he was saying things he believed in, he was forceful, he was articulate, so in that respect it was well delivered,” she ended saying.
    
Sending a message to Hoosiers about the direction he intends to take the state with his words and actions.