ZANESVILLE, Ohio (WJW) — Vice President Mike Pence spoke at a Workers for Trump event Wednesday evening at the Muskingum County Fairgrounds in Zanesville, Ohio.
He spoke to Ohioans, pushing that re-electing President Donald Trump would give Americans more freedom, more jobs and energy independence. He also argued why electing presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden would be a poor choice for the future of America.
The Vice President highlighted the accomplishments of the Trump Administration, specifically improvements to the economy and how Trump has put American workers first.
“Four years ago we inherited a military hollowed out by devastating budget cuts, an economy struggling to break out of the slowest economic recovery since the Great Depression. Terrorism was on the rise around the world. We witnessed a steady assault on our most cherished values,” said Pence. “But in those first three years, under the leadership of President Donald Trump, we rebuilt our military. We restored the arsonal democracy.”
Pence shared how Trump brought more jobs to the nation and stated they will continue to do so. He says four more years under the Trump Administration means more jobs for Ohioans and people across the nation.
The Vice President also discussed the future of fossil fuels and American energy.
“America’s future depends on energy independence — that’s why President Donald Trump unleashed American energy and we are, today, energy independent for the first time in 70 years,” he said. “America is a net exporter of energy.”
Additionally, Pence addressed some of the promises made by the Biden campaign. He said that the Democratic presidential candidate promised to cut back on American energy consumption.
Pence argued that Biden would infringe upon Americans’ freedoms, saying that under a Biden Administration the country would not be charted under the ideals of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, but instead will be taken down a path resembling that of social welfare states.
“In this election, here in Ohio and across America, we will decide not so much whether America will remain more conservative or more liberal, more Republican or more Democrat, more red or more blue — I think the choice in this election is whether America remains America,” Pence explained.
He says that every time the American people were given a choice between more or less freedoms, the people have chosen freedom. Pence reiterated that re-electing President Trump would be choosing freedom.
“Americans chose freedom every single time, so carry that freedom agenda out,” said Pence. “Because that’s what’s on the ballot.”
The rally came just hours after the Trump campaign unveiled a new economic message reinforcing the President’s “excellent record on the economy.” It reads in part:
“President Trump built the world’s best economy once and is already doing it a second time. As vice president, Joe Biden oversaw the worst economic recovery since the Great Depression and today proposes to raise taxes by $4 trillion, killing the economic comeback underway. Biden voted for the job-killing NAFTA trade deal and has a history of arguing for China’s interests, costing the United States 60,000 factories and 3.5 million jobs.”
Meanwhile, the Biden for President Campaign released the following statement ahead of the Vice President’s visit, arguing that the Trump and Pence Administration has failed Ohioans:
“President Trump and Vice President Pence continue to betray Ohio’s workers and families — from misleading them about the pandemic, to telling tales of imaginary auto industry gains, to calling for the boycott of a company that employs thousands. Ohioans know that Trump and Pence have failed them — and that they still have no plan to get us through a pandemic that has sickened more than 135,000 Ohioans, killed over 4,000, and left far too many without a job.
Ohioans deserve a president who will implement a science-backed plan to end the pandemic, make ‘Made in America’ a reality, and build our economy back better than ever before. In Joe Biden, Ohioans will get a president who governs through the eyes of workers, not one who puts the interests of the super wealthy and well-connected before all else.”
Pence’s stop in Ohio is part of the Trump campaign’s tour to several midwestern swing states.
Wednesday’s visit marks the second time Pence has visited Ohio in the last three months.
In June the Vice President visited the Lordstown Motors assembly plant. He took part in the unveiling of a new electric pickup truck that will be built in Ohio by the start-up company. During that visit, Pence addressed the coronavirus pandemic and told Ohioans he and Trump were committed to putting people back to work. He cited declining unemployment claims and increases in job creation in the May and June months.
President Trump will also be visiting Ohio this month. He is holding a Great American Comeback event at the Eugene F. Kranz Toledo Express Airport in Swanton on Monday.
He will also face off against Biden in the first presidential debate on Sept. 29 in Cleveland.