As COVID-19 cases spike, Pence calls off campaign stops
Pre-Independence Day reelection campaign events in Florida have been called off by Vice President Mike Pence as confirmed coronavirus cases surge in the state.
Pence will travel to the state July 2 to meet with Gov. Ron DeSantis and health officials, White House officials confirmed to The Associated Press — but a stop on the “Great American Comeback Tour” has been called off.
“Out of an abundance of caution at this time, we are postponing the Great American Comeback tour stop in Florida,” tweeted America First Policies on Saturday afternoon.
America First Policies is a nonprofit supporting the re-election of President Donald Trump. The group’s website describes the organization as “a social welfare organization devoted to promoting ideas, policies, and legislation to address major problems burdening the United States, stifling economic growth and job creation, and compromising national security.”
Pence had planned to campaign in Lake Wales and Sarasota, according to media reports and a news release from the campaign.
On Friday, during a briefing by the White House’s coronavirus task force, the vice president had said that he would visit Florida, Texas and Arizona to receive a “ground report” on the fight to contain coronavirus.
When Pence visited Orlando in May to meet with tourism-industry leaders, he proclaimed that Florida was “leading the way to open up America again.” But in recent days, the state has reported record numbers of people testing positive for COVID-19 and implemented social restrictions such as prohibiting most bars from serving customers on their premises.
Although DeSantis has not made mask-wearing mandatory in public, Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings issued an executive order requiring the wearing of face coverings a little more than a week ago.
The president faced criticism for holding a June 20 campaign rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in the midst of the pandemic. Fewer people than expected attended that event.
TrumpPence