HERMON, Maine — As the countdown to the 2020 general election continues, so does President Donald Trump's campaign. On Monday, Vice President Mike Pence is expected to host a "Make American Great Again" rally at the Dysart's warehouse in Hermon.
Doors for the event will open at 9:30 a.m. and close at 11 a.m. The rally is expected to start at 11:30 a.m. People attending the event are asked to park at the Dysart's Service Center on Odlin Road across the street from the event location.
President Trump's campaign has indicated anyone who attends the rally Monday morning will be given a temperature check, masks they will be instructed to wear, and access to hand sanitizer -- those instructions coming after the President tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this month, although the Vice President did not.
Republican 2nd Congressional District candidate Dale Crafts, who is looking to unseat Democrat Jared Golden, and former Maine Gov. Paul LePage spoke ahead of Pence.
LePage, who is poised to make a Gubernatorial run in 2022, said the 2020 election is about "capitalism versus socialism." LePage nodded to the state of the Senate race, saying it's not over for Susan Collins, who is facing a tight, contentious race against Democrat Sara Gideon.
"We need the Senate to help President Trump run the country," LePage said. "And hopefully, we will elect two Republicans in CD1 and CD2 so Nancy Pelosi can go back to San Francisco!"
On stage next, Crafts called his opponent Jared Golden a "phony," who voted to impeach Trump and "doesn't deserve to go back to Congress."
Pence began by thanking Crafts and LePage, and bringing greetings from Trump, who Pence said he spoke with on the phone Sunday night. Chants of "Four more years" broke out, to which Pence echoed, saying "I'm here for one reason and one reason only—and that is that Maine and America need four more years of President Donald Trump in the White House."
"It's on, Maine. And the road to victory runs right through northern Maine," Pence said.
In response to Pence's visit to Maine, Biden for President Deputy Campaign Manager and Communications Director Kate Bedingfield said Maine voters have "paid the price" under Trump and Pence's "failed" leadership.
“For four years, President Trump and Vice President Pence have failed to lead the American people with honesty, integrity, or responsibility — and Mainers have paid the price," Bedingfield said in a statement. "As head of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, Vice President Pence’s insistence on placing conspiratorial whims ahead of the health and safety of the American people has led to the greatest failure of any presidential administration in history and has cost thousands of Mainers their lives, jobs, and wages. Vice President Biden has always fought for working families and has a plan to create millions of good-paying jobs, guide a full economic recovery, and rebuild the American middle class. Maine voters are already casting ballots in record numbers to elect a leader in Joe Biden who will protect Maine families and finally restore needed leadership to the oval office.”
Republican National Committee Spokesperson Andrew Mahaleris said, “Vice President Mike Pence, together with President Donald Trump, has a proven track record of fighting for Maine families and workers. The unmatched enthusiasm in Hermon and across the state make it clear: Mainers are ready for four more years.”
Maine GOP Chair Dr. Demi Kouzounas said, "Since taking office, President Trump and Vice President Pence have made it a priority to deliver for the people of Maine, and Mainers have noticed. Today we saw record turnout for this historic event, drawing Mainers from all 16 counties to welcome Vice President Pence back to our beautiful state. The enthusiasm we saw today made it clear: Mainers are ready for four more years of 'Promises Made, Promises Kept.'"
"We must unify behind Republicans up and down the ballot if we want to continue the great American comeback," Kouzouna continued. "The Trump administration has built the greatest economy America has ever seen and they will do it again, but they can not do it alone. Every Mainer should be making a plan right now to get out and vote on Election Day so their voice is heard, and that we have four more years of President Trump."
This is not the first visit by the Trump campaign to Maine's 2nd Congressional District.
In June, the president visited the Puritan Medical Products facility in Guilford, which is one of the largest providers for coronavirus testing swabs in the world.
The president's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., visited Holden in late September to hold a rally at the store Maine Military Supply.
In 2016, President Trump won Maine's 2nd Congressional District, giving him one of the state's four electoral votes, though Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton won the three others.
A new, independent poll of Maine voters released last week by Pan Atlantic Research of Portland puts presidential candidate Joe Biden slightly ahead in district two with 46.5% of the vote, compared to 43% for President Trump.
Biden is also leading in the state as a whole, according to that poll—with 50.3% compared to Trump's 39.7%.
Watch the full rally here: