Gregg Labels Pence “A Teabagger”

In a Friday radio interview, Democratic candidate for Governor John Gregg slapped his Republican opponent Mike Pence with the “teabagger” label.

Gregg made the comment on the Gary Snyder Show when responding to Snyder’s question regarding social issues in the Governor’s race.

Gregg said moderate Republicans would be turned off by the tea party movement and then said,” no one has been a bigger teabagger than Congressman Pence.”

(Warning, the link contains sexual images and language some readers may find offensive)

“Teabagger” is a pejorative term  with a sexual connotation attached to it.  

When asked to clarify the statement, Gregg campaign spokesman Dan Altman said in a e-mail, “Before he started running for Governor, Congressman Pence was proud of his Tea Party roots.  In fact, he was the first member of GOP leadership to join Michele Bauchmann’s Tea Party caucus.”

Altman cites two news stories reporting Pence as a charter member of the Tea Party caucus in Congress.

When asked for a reply, Christie Denault, a spokesperson for the Pence campaign said they do not respond to name calling.

This is not the first time Gregg has used strong language publicly as a candidate for Governor when referring to Pence.  In mid-August following a news conference Gregg said Pence needed “to get his ass back to D.C” and help pass the farm bill to provide drought relief to Indiana’s farmers instead of running for Governor.