Trump’s tax cuts, deregulation efforts and “pro-growth” policies helped create a strong economy in Ohio, she said.
“And he can do it again,” she said during a 26-minute speech. “You are witnessing the great American comeback.”
Pence said Ohio has added back 443,200 jobs in the last four months, and unemployment has dropped from a high of 17.6% to 8.9%.
The state’s economy tanked early in the pandemic, leading to unprecedented job losses.
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In February, before the pandemic hit, Ohio’s unemployment rate was 4.1%, Pence said, adding that it was nearly twice that level under President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden (7.5%).
Ohio’s economy grew at a faster rate than during Trump’s three years than the entire Obama/Biden administration, she said.
Trump has vowed to create 10 million new jobs in the next 10 months and has set a goal of creating 1 million new small businesses, Pence said.
Pence said Trump’s tax cuts are expected to create 45,700 new jobs in Ohio over the next decade.
Addressing a crowd of about 100 people, Pence also said Trump is a “visionary” who has uplifted and empowered women.
She said the president has opened up new economic opportunities for women and female workers. Trump kept his promise to nominate a conservative woman to the U.S. Supreme Court, Pence said.
Leadership matters, she said, and she described Biden as ill-equipped to guide the nation at this critical time.
Pence also tried to paint Biden as a longtime politician who supports “radical” plans and voted for trade deals that killed American jobs.
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She said the president supports fracking while Biden supports the Green New Deal. She claims the deal would be extremely expensive for Ohio households.
She said Biden would raise taxes and destroy the economy.
Pence’s visit comes one day after her husband held a rally in Cincinnati, where he said the road to victory runs through Ohio.
Trump is trailing in many national polls and is several points behind in Ohio polls.
CBS said the presidential candidate who has won Ohio also has won the White House in the last 14 presidential elections.
In a statement, Ohio Democratic Party Chair David Pepper said Trump’s campaign is desperately trying to distract from his terrible record, including a new Columbia Study that says there have been more than 100,000 avoidable deaths from COVID-19.
The lead author on the study blamed the White House for the avoidable deaths, according to the Daily Beast.
“A month ago, Trump came to Ohio and promised to ‘crush the virus,’" Pepper said. “Instead, Ohioans are continuing to pay the price for his incompetence: spiking coronavirus cases, surging hospitalizations and a cratering economy.”
On Thursday, the Second Lady also claimed Trump’s bold decision to restrict travel to China early in the pandemic saved millions of lives. She said the president and vice president took “momentous” action to defeat the virus.
She also said Trump has cut red tape like no leader before him and he helped Ohio farmers with financial relief to cope with tariffs from China.
Pence was an elementary school teacher for 25 years before becoming First Lady of Indiana in 2013.
She and the vice president wed in 1985 and have three children.
Their son, Michael, serves in the U.S. Marine Corps. Their daughters are Charlotte and Audrey.
The Second Lady also is a watercolor artist who a few years ago launched an art therapy initiative.
Tipp City resident Sandy Dysinger attended Thursday’s event with her friend Marla White.
Dysinger said Pence was sincere and likeable. White said she plans to spread the word as much as she can to help Trump and Pence secure a victory.
“Life as we know it is at stake,” White said.
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Dysinger said she believes Trump will win but she is nervous. She said the media has been unfair to the president and she’s worried about dirty tricks by the Democrats.
“Based on what I know about Joe Biden, I feel they are very capable of doing things like that,” she said.
Huber Heights residents Pam and Chuck Keethler attended the event, which was their first ever political rally.
The couple, who are federally licensed firearms dealers, say the Second Amendment is very important to them and they want four more years of Trump.
Pam Keethler, 75, said everyone she talks to supports Trump and she thinks he should win. But she said she’s worried about problems with mail-in voting.
“If it doesn’t go (for Trump), this country is in a world of hurt,” she said. “The Democratic party is nothing more than a socialist, Marxist party.”
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Chuck Keethler said Washington is broken and Trump is the right candidate to make badly needed changes.
Cincinnati residents Ken and Tracy Hughes attended the MAGA event to show support for Second Lady Pence, who they have known for 20 or more years.
The Hughes say they used to live in Indianapolis and were neighbors and friends with Mike and Karen Pence.
Karen Pence is a wonderful and authentic person, said Tracy Hughes, who met the Second Lady through Mothers of Preschoolers.
“What you see is what you get,” she said.
“She’s very, very nice,” said Ken Hughes, 70, who is retired from the insurance industry.
Ken Hughes said the choice in this election is “mobs versus jobs.” He said he heard that description recently and thinks it perfectly conveys the difference between the candidates.
He said Democratic-run cities are seeing violence and riots, and that will worsen if Biden is elected.
He said Trump winning would mean new jobs, economic growth and family values.
Events like Thursday’s rally are meant to build enthusiasm and get people energized ahead of the election, Ken Hughes said.
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