Mitch Daniels considered a 2012 presidential run, and after two successful terms as Indiana governor and time away from politics as president of Purdue University, some GOP activists are hoping for a Daniels 2016 campaign.
Family and personal concerns were cited as the reason he bowed out in 2012, so it is worth looking at these eight interesting facts about Mitch Daniels's personal life.
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- Lived in Indiana since the age of 10 - Daniels was born in Pennsylvania and lived in Georgia until the age of 10, when he moved to Indiana. He has been a 'Hoosier' since then, except for the years he worked in Washington, D.C.
- Started in behind-the-scenes politics work at a young age - Mitch Daniels started his political career as a teen, by helping on a U.S. Senate campaign. He didn't run for office on his own until his campaign for governor.
- Finished Law School While Working for Senator - Daniels earned a law degree at Georgetown while working as Chief of Staff for Senator Richard Lugar.
- Called “The Blade” While Head of Budget Office - President George W. Bush gave him the nickname while Daniels worked for him as director of Office of Management and Budget. The reputation served Daniels well at his roles as governor and president of Purdue, where he worked to reduce spending and fees.
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- Has four daughters whose names start with M - Daniels has four daughters who share the first initial of his first name, Mitch: Meagan, Maggie, Meredith and Melissa. Daniels' wife, Cheri, is the only 'M'-less member of the family.
- Arrested for Marijuana Use During College - While attending Princeton, Daniels was arrested for marijuana use and “maintaining a common nuisance” when he and his roommates were caught with drug paraphernalia in their apartment, according to Politico.
- Wife Divorced, Then Remarried Him - Mitch and Cheri Daniels' past marital issues were cited by political pundits as part of the reason he chose not to run in 2012. Cheri Daniels divorced Mitch in 1993 after 15 years of marriage, according to the Indianapolis Star. In 1997, she divorced her second husband and remarried Mitch Daniels.
- Enjoys Purdue Football Tailgates - The Purdue Exponent newspaper described a typical football game day for the university president. “He says he's been to every tailgating lot; his visits are so frequent that one tailgater claims Daniels has been to his tailgate three times,” wrote Kirsten Gibson.
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