DES MOINES, Iowa—Former Vice President Mike Pence took the stage at a town hall meeting to define himself as a principled leader who has the experience and character to dig the country out of domestic difficulties and reestablish it as the champion of freedom on the world stage.
The candidate, standing at centerstage, outlined mostly unsurprising Republican positions on a range of domestic and international issues and responded to questions from moderator Dana Bash of CNN and members of the audience.
Some 125 Iowa voters and guests attended the 90-minute event at Grand View University on June 7.
Yet the unseen presence in the room was former President Donald Trump, who was named or referred to some 35 times during the 90-minute event….