Sarah Rumpf
Former Vice President Mike Pence owes a great deal of his political career to support from evangelical conservatives, and Friday’s Faith & Freedom Coalition Summit has been home turf for him for years. But the Republican base is still very devoted to former President Donald Trump, and Pence’s apostasy on Jan. 6 — refusing to oppose the Electoral College votes that certified President Joe Biden’s victory — is a sin for which there seems to be little forgiveness.
Forbes political reporter Andrew Solender captured a short video of Pence delivering his remarks to the conference, being held in Kissimmee, Fl. (just south of Orlando). Audible boos and chants of “traitor!” can be heard.
Pence did his best to ignore the hecklers and speak over them. Several of the hecklers was removed by security, according to NBC News’ Ali Vitali and Dave Weigel with the Washington Post.
Ali Vitali on Twitter: “Pence greeted here at Faith & Freedom with cheers as he got on stage, but as he started to speak a woman shouted “traitor” before being escorted out. He spoke over it, ignoring the outburst. / Twitter”
Pence greeted here at Faith & Freedom with cheers as he got on stage, but as he started to speak a woman shouted “traitor” before being escorted out. He spoke over it, ignoring the outburst.
David Weigel on Twitter: “A few cries of “traitor!” when Mike Pence starts talking at Faith & Freedom Coalition summit; the people shouting it are being led out or leaving, one guy in Bikers for Trump swap filming himself. / Twitter”
A few cries of “traitor!” when Mike Pence starts talking at Faith & Freedom Coalition summit; the people shouting it are being led out or leaving, one guy in Bikers for Trump swap filming himself.
Eventually, the raucous crowd calmed down somewhat, and Pence got applause when he declared himself to be “a Christian, a conservative and a Republican, in that order,” a longtime motto of his.
