Pence courts voters at Kingsley Inn

Greatest nation

Anyone who says we can’t solve the problems here at home and be the leader of the free world has a pretty small view of the greatest nation on earth. We can do both. With the right leadership we can do both.”

Vice President Mike Pence, candidate for President

FORT MADISON – Former Vice President Mike Pence stopped in at the Kingsley Inn in Fort Madison Thursday night with one message.
He’s the most qualified and most prepared person to lead the country back to greatness.
Pence spoke to about 50 people and local, regional, and national news outlets at the Fort Madison hotel for about an hour and then stuck around for more one-on-ones as the Fort Madison stop was the last on his schedule for the day.
Pence gave a short personal history and then went into about 45 minutes of questions and answers with the room.
The one-term vice president under President Donald Trump is a third-generation American whose grandfather began the family in 1923 when he came over a tailor from Ireland. And that set him on his course in public service.
Pence is a former Governor of Indiana from 2013 to 2017 and served 12 years in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Through all the years of public service, Pence said religion has always been his driving force.
“Underneath all of it for me is my faith,” he said.
He said that faith was what enabled him to not reject the electoral votes in the 2020 election instead choosing to ratify the count and declare Joe Biden the winner despite pressure from the GOP to take a different course.
The move on Jan. 6, 2020 set off riots on Capitol Hill, but Pence stands steadfastly behind his decision.
He said he’s extremely proud of what the Trump/Pence ticket accomplished in four years including rebuilding the military, reviving the economy, achieving energy independence for the first time in 75 years, and reducing illegal immigration by 90% in three years.
“We know what to do and how to do it, but it’s gonna take leadership to do it. And I stand before you today with great humility and say not only do we need new leadership in the White House, I believe we need new leadership in the Republican Party,” he said.
“I believe that I am the best qualified, the best prepared, and the mot tested Conservative and I will be ready day one to turn this country around.”
Pence said President Joe Biden’s administration has taken the country in the wrong direction including plunging the country into a recession with irresponsible spending in the wake of the pandemic.
The Democratic Party is saying the economy is turning around and the country is rebounding, but Pence said that’s not the case.
“President Biden tells us Bidenomics is working, but people here in Iowa, people back in Indiana, and everywhere in between know better,” he said.
He said inflation is up 16%, the worst uptick in 40 years, and a weekend ago mortgage rates were at a 22-year high.
“In the midst of all of it I have hope because I know the people of Iowa are going to do what you always do. You’re going to shape our national leadership and give us leadership that will lead this country all the way back,” Pence said.
“And I’d be honored to have your support. We can do it.”
Pence said there are challenges facing the country and it will take strong leaders who can square their shoulders to get it done.
“Anyone who says we can’t solve the problems here at home and be the leader of the free world has a pretty small view of the greatest nation on earth. We can do both. With the right leadership we can do both.”