Live updates: VP Mike Pence visits Allegheny County

Vice President Mike Pence touched down at the Allegheny County Airport on Friday afternoon to stump for President Trump down the home stretch for Election Day on Nov. 3.

His visit comes a day after Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden faced off in their final debate.

Watch Pence’s comments here:

Pence delivered remarks at a “Make America Great Again Victory” rally at Lynx FBO hangar at the airport in West Mifflin.

VP Pence has taken the stage. pic.twitter.com/nknDadBMNb

— Kristina Serafini (@KristinaS_Trib) October 23, 2020

I’m terrible with crowd estimates, so here’s a video of supporters here waiting for VP Pence. pic.twitter.com/NUqakSamxu

— Kristina Serafini (@KristinaS_Trib) October 23, 2020

Air Force Two touched down at precisely 4 p.m. at Allegheny County Airport, located in the borough of West Mifflin, a suburb of about 20,000 people about seven miles southeast of Pittsburgh. The stop follows Pence’s remarks at a similarly themed rally in Swanton, Ohio.

No greeters were present. Pence gave a wave and salute to Secret Service, local law enforcement and White House officials before quickly climbing into the motorcade to depart for a roughly 2-minute ride to the rally.

Pence stepped off the plane at about 4:16 p.m. He and the motorcade traveled uneventfully to the rally staging area, about 3/4 mile down the runway outside a Lynx FBO hangar.

Two large cranes provided by local company Lomma, based in Bridgeville, hoisted a roughly 30-foot-by-50-foot American flag draped vertically above a small stage with a podium and microphone. The stage is flanked by “Make America Great Again!” signs and adorned with six much smaller American flag posts. Crowd is about 200-350 people, some wearing masks and some not.

The vice president was introduced by U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Butler: “Listen, we have the biggest battle we’re ever going to have in our life,” Kelly said. “This is truly the most consequential election we’ve ever faced, and I’ve got to tell you, if we’re going to make America great again, we’ve got to win the Keystone State again.”

Pence took the stage to the tune of Free’s “All Right Now.” He bumps elbows/shoulders with Kelly then waves and throws fist pumps to the crowd and claps.

“Well, hello, Pennsylvania!” Pence says, to which crowd starts chanting “Four more years!”

“That’s what I’m talking about,” Pence replies. “… It is great to be in a state where you refuse to lose, the Keystone State. And we are less than 11 days away from a great victory all across Pennsylvania and all across America.”

Air Force Two touched down at exactly 4 p.m. in West Mifflin, about 7 miles southeast of #Pittsburgh.

I’m told there will not be any greeters before VP Pence’s motorcade heads to the rally stage down the runway outside a privately operated hangar. @TribLIVE #Election2020 pic.twitter.com/Xj27rFwSOq

— Natasha Lindstrom (@NewsNatasha) October 23, 2020

Among local elected officials present at Vice President Pence’s rally at Allegheny County Airport — all three of whom Pence introduced at the start of his remarks, which began shortly before 4:30 p.m.: U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Butler, who introduced Pence; U.S. Rep. Glenn “G.T.” Thompson, R-Centre County; and U.S. Rep. Guy Reschenthaler, R-Peters Township.

Pence also touted support for Sean Parnell, the GOP challenger to U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb, D-Mt. Lebanon. (Lamb won over voters who supported Trump in 2016 to ascend to Congress, and both Parnell and Lamb are campaigning as “moderates.”)

Later in his remarks, which lasted roughly 45 minutes, Pence said: “The president and I need Pennsylvania to send G.T. Thompson, Mike Kelly, Guy Reschenthaler and Sean Parnell to a new Republican majority in the House of Representatives and retire Nancy Pelosi once and for all.”

Among issues brought up by Pence that drew standing ovations and cheers: promoting fracking/natural gas industry; Trump being a man of faith, ensuring America does not become “a socialist country,” and defunding Planned Parenthood (“President Donald Trump is the most pro-life president in American history, and we’re going to stand for the right to life for four more years,” Pence said).

Pence reiterated many of the same talking points he delivered when he held a similar rally in Western Pennsylvania on Sept. 9 at a natural gas well pad site in New Sewickley, Beaver County, including:

• how Pennsylvania critical to Trump-Pence victory;

• how the Trump administration will support energy jobs/deregulation;

• accused a Biden presidency of seeking to pack the courts, defund the police, raise taxes;

• regarding the economy, Pence said: “Our economic recovery is on the ballot. … Law and order are on the ballot.”

• regarding fracking, Pence said Biden has been inconsistent and that energy jobs are in danger if he is elected president. Audio/video clips were played of strings of Biden’s past remarks on the subject, with dramatic instrumental music broadcast to a digital screen.

Pence said Biden is “nothing more than a Trojan horse for the radical left.”

“President Donald Trump created the greatest economy in American history,” Pence said. “We are opening up America again, and we are opening up America’s schools.”

Pence noted that, starting this weekend, “Big 10 football is back.”

Pence finished speaking at about 5:17 p.m.

“Now, let’s go get it done, Pennsylvania!” Pence said shortly before he exited the stage to the tune of Brooks & Dunn’s “Only in America.”