Vice President Mike Pence hosted a “Defend the Majority” rally in Augusta, Georgia, gathering a crowd of 500 on a Thursday. The vice president stumped for incumbent Republican senators Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue in their bid to win re-election in the upcoming runoff election.
The rally occurred at Augusta Regional Airport in the early afternoon. Perdue was in attendance though Loeffler was absent – the latter senator was attending the funeral of her campaign staffer.
The crowd was exuberant, waving campaign signs and flags as they cheered. Augusta local Caroline Burr told The Georgia Star News that she came to stand up for the two senators and the president.
“I came to fight for democracy, [to] stop the steal, [to] support Loeffler and Perdue,” stated Burr. “We’re angry because we feel like our democracy and our country aren’t being supported. And so, we want to make sure every legal vote is counted and to make sure that we get it right, now and going forward.”
Burr added that everyone should vote, regardless of how they feel about the general election’s integrity.
After a prayer, Republican Party of Georgia Chairman David Shafer addressed the crowd. The chairman promised that the Republican Party is taking action to improve election security for the upcoming runoff election.
“We filed suit against our own Secretary of State,” Shafer said in response to cheers from the crowd. “We have recruited 4,000 poll watchers for the upcoming runoff elections. We’re going to make sure we have eyes on every part of the process. We won’t let them steal it [the election] again.”
Then, Congressman Rick Allen (R-GA-12) shared that he’d signed onto the state of Texas’ amicus brief petition. He explained that he did so out of concern with the post-election allegations of voter fraud and irregularities.
“What happened in Georgia – it’s got to stop,” stated Allen. “I don’t know about you, but I am sick and tired of these limousine liberals from California deciding who it is we elect as our two senators in the state of Georgia. Ossoff and Warnock could not raise a dime in the state of Georgia. Y’all, this money is coming from California and New York – that is dead wrong!”
Following the congressman, Secretary of Agriculture and former Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue, cousin to Senator Perdue, took the stage briefly to encourage the crowd to vote. The former governor’s election marked Georgia’s first Republican governor in over 130 years.
After, Senator Perdue took the stage. The senator focused his address on the implications of the upcoming runoff election. Perdue emphasized the progressive policies from Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY-14) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY).
“This is the most serious situation we’ve had in American politics in my lifetime that I can remember,” he said. “And when you look at what the alternatives are right now, you just have to look at what they have said. It’s in the Democratic [Party] platform! You don’t have to make it up, you don’t have to listen to me – go read about it online.”
Perdue warned that losing the Senate majority would jeopardize American freedoms.
An energetic Pence jogged off the plan – as he took the stage, he continued pumping his fist, clapping and waving to the crowd. Both Pence and President Donald Trump appeared in Valdosta last Saturday – just five days prior.
The vice president’s main point was for Georgians and Americans to hold the line in their fight to maintain the Republican majority in the Senate and challenge the election results. He laid out the party’s platform as the side of Constitutional freedoms.
“The fight is on!” declared Pence. “You know, the support of the people all across Georgia and all across this country – it’s amazing. This president, and our team, received more than 74 million votes across America – 10 million more votes than four years ago.”
The vice president also announced that 18 states joined the state of Texas in their lawsuit against Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Arizona.
“President Donald Trump deserves his day in court – the Supreme Court. And all I can say is God Bless Texas. Men and women of Georgia I’ll tell you: as our election contest continues here in Georgia and in states across the country, I’ll make you a promise: we’re going to keep fighting until every legal vote is counted,” he said. “We’re going to keep fighting until every illegal vote is thrown out. And we will never stop fighting to make America great again! That’s why President Trump and I need David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler back in a Republican majority in the United States Senate.”
The vice president listed some of the accomplishments of the president and the two incumbent senators, including Loeffler’s role in implementing sweeping veteran healthcare reform.
Pence reminded the crowd of President Trump’s successful takeover of the last of ISIS territory and their leader without any American casualties, as well as the takeout of Islamic terrorist Qasem Soleimani. The vice president added that the president upheld a promise to move the American embassy to Jerusalem – a promise unfulfilled by four previous presidents. Pence noted that both Loeffler and Perdue were there “every step of the way.”
Concerning the pandemic’s impact, Pence offered hope to the crowd: he asserted that their administration had overseen the creation of 7 million jobs, including 350,000 in Georgia, and the creation of a COVID-19 vaccine.
Pence finished his speech by calling for Georgians to vote. He assured them that they could have confidence in their vote, because Republican leaders were taking action to ensure the integrity of the runoff election.
“In these challenging times in the life of our nation, Georgia: stay in the fight. Stay in the fight for integrity in our elections. Stay in the fight to defend the Republican majority in the Senate. And stay in the fight until the polls close on January 5th and we send David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler back to Washington, D.C. Stay in the fight to keep America great – that’s what’s on the line.”
After the rally, The Star News interviewed a mother-daughter duo who attended the rally. The mother, Melinda Ball, asserted that her daughter inspired her dedication to supporting conservative candidates and fair elections at the rally.
“I want to do anything I can to try and support the cause. This is so important – it makes a difference,” she said. “My daughter is the reason why I am here today. That is what is important – her future. I grew up in a free world where I had freedom, I had liberty, and I want that same world for my daughter. That is what is important, and that is what is up for grabs here in this election coming up.”
Ball also asserted that she believed the election is far from over, expressing confidence in Georgia’s ability to turn out for the two incumbent senators.
“The presidential election is not over yet. Trump is still fighting for us, and he is still fighting for the swing state. And, second of all, Trump is still our president and he’s going to be our president for the next four years,” Ball said. “The state of Georgia is going to draw the line, and they’re going to elect these senators, and we’re going to have our protectors against socialism. And that is what we need, because the bottom line is socialism just does not work. Take a look at Venezuela, look at history. Look at what is happening to other countries where socialism has taken over – it does not work. History does repeat itself. We’re going to stop it right here in the state of Georgia.”
When asked if she felt disappointed that Perdue didn’t address the voter fraud allegations, Ball stated that she wasn’t.
“Not necessarily. We know what’s going on. What’s more important is that he gets his voice out there and gets his voice heard so he can be elected.”
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Corinne Murdock is a reporter at The Georgia Star News and the Star News Network. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Mike Pence” by 11Alive.
