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JOHN Steven Whitaker was the first husband of Karen Pence, the wife of Vice President Mike Pence.

Whitaker, who would become a doctor, was Pence's high school sweetheart.

Karen Pence
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Karen PenceCredit: Alamy Live News

Who is Karen Pence?

Karen Pence is the wife of Vice President  and the second lady of the US.

The 63-year-old was the First Lady of  from 2013 to 2017 and was also a school teacher and painter. 

Karen recently .

She had her hair cut to a short bob with bangs and credited her weight loss to a strict exercise regimen. 

Karen and Mike Pence have been married for 35 years
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Karen and Mike Pence have been married for 35 yearsCredit: Getty Images - Getty

Karen is reportedly lifting weights, counting calories, and using pulleys to tone her body.

Who was Karen Pence’s first husband?

Dr John Steven Whitaker married Karen Batten in 1978, but they divorced soon after.

They split up when Whitaker was a medical student and his schedule became too intense, according to .

Karen met Mike Pence at Mass at St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Indianapolis and the two got engaged in 1984.

Karen and Mike Pence during a campaign stop in 2016
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Karen and Mike Pence during a campaign stop in 2016Credit: Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

They married the following year and had  Michael, Charlotte and Audrey. 

When is the VP debate?

 is set to debate Democratic vice presidential nominee  in Salt Lake City on October 7.

Pence will almost certainly be pressed to explain  and justify Trump's decision to hold large in-person campaign rallies during a pandemic.

Who is the VP debate moderator?

The scene from Salt Lake City ahead of the VP debate

Susan Page, the head of USA Today's Washington bureau, will preside over the 90-minute showdown between Democrat  and current VP in Salt Lake City.

She has covered ten presidential elections, six administrations and interviewed nine American presidents.

During her career she has also won several awards including twice being awarded the Gerald R. Ford Prize for Distinguished Reporting on the Presidency.

She is also an established author, with her first book The Matriarch: Barbara Bush and the Making of an American Dynasty was published in 2019.

“Normally,  is inconsequential. That is not the case in 2020,” said Alex Conant, a Republican strategist.

“The public has so many questions about how we got here and it’s an opportunity for Pence to answer some of those.”

Cam Savage, a veteran Republican strategist from Indiana, said: "With Pence you get a very disciplined leader who is not likely to make mistakes."

Both for ahead of the debate.

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