By Gary Stevens and Peg McNichol
HOLLAND, MI (WHTC-AM/FM) — Move the clock forward three years from 2016, and many of the same themes that helped the Republican ticket of Donald Trump and Mike Pence take the White House were repeated by the Vice President on Wednesday evening in Holland.
Listen to the entire event at whtc.com/podcasts: https://whtc.com/podcasts/whtc-news/99/vice-president-mike-pence-in-holland-dec-4/.
Before a crowd of 250, which was capacity at the renovated site of the former Holland Bowl, Mr. Pence, the former Indiana governor and Congressman, repeated phrases coined by the President on the campaign trail, such as “drain the swamp” and “build the wall,” and emphasized “promises kept,” which has been an early branding of the Trump reelection campaign. He called the ongoing impeachment process “a disgrace,” and Mr. Pence repeated the importance of the upcoming 2020 election in “keeping America great.” The VP added that he and Mr. Trump would be coming to Michigan “often” before the vote next November 3rd.
Kalamazoo resident Evan Oudekerk and Manhattan native Charles Rhames, both Western Michigan University students and members of WMU’s College Republicans, stood shivering at the corner of Central Avenue and Ninth Street, waiting for Vice President Mike Pence Wednesday afternoon.
See WHTC’s photo gallery https://whtc.com/galleries/7151/.
They’d already met him at a Kalamazoo airport, followed the group to an event in Portage, then headed to Holland. They said they support President Trump and Vice President Pence, and look forward to campaigning for their re-election in 2020.
Across the street, Tom Moran of Fenton and woman held a large sign that read, “Trump sold us out / Huge tax cuts for the 1 percent / exploding deficits / Why has he forgotton us?”
Moran said he drove out to Holland to protest because he’ll be 65 next year and on Medicare, and worries that his benefits will be cut.
Pence’s convoy arrived just after 4 p.m., by which time Secret Service agents had vetted those waiting, allowing them into the warmth of the empty shop at 215 Central Ave.
By 4:30 p.m. the crowd got quiet for an invocation, then U.S. Senate hopeful John James took the stage. At 5 p.m. Michigan Republican Party Chairwoman Laura Cox was introducting former White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders.
Outside of the featured speakers, the rally was noteworthy for the lack of high-profile elected and GOP leaders in the crowd.
