URBANDALE, Iowa—Urbandale, population 46,000, is a slice of Americana nestled against the west side of Des Moines, the capital of Iowa. Despite being part of a metropolitan area of 700,000, Urbandale retains a small-town atmosphere. The city has suburbanized without becoming bougie, lending it a charm reminiscent of earlier days.
That America-then feel combined with what locals proclaim is the largest July 4th parade in the region is perhaps what drew former Vice President Mike Pence to make Urbandale the first stop on a three-day, seven-event swing through the Hawkeye state.
The Urbandale parade is a staple of the region’s social calendar, attended by families for generations. Crowds line the two-mile route with lawn awnings, blankets, and camp chairs, sometimes three or four deep.
Iowans, ever-obliging and inured to the fanfare surrounding presidential candidates, were entirely welcoming of the former vice president. Whether the candidate, also known for his personal warmth and inviting demeanor, was able to make a dent in his 45-point deficit in the polls is less certain.
Either way, Pence, accompanied by his wife, Karen Pence, brought his folksy charm and call for a return to true conservatism to a pair of July 4 campaign events in central Iowa, winning good feelings if not caucus-goers.
Parade Reception
News of Pence’s appearance at the Urbandale parade drew reactions ranging from disinterest to disdain among attendees who spoke with The Epoch Times.
“I’m for [former President Donald] Trump,” Jodi Anderson told The Epoch Times. The Urbandale native, who had been unaware that Pence would be in attendance, returns from her home in Omaha, Nebraska, each year for the parade.
“I like it that he is a businessman, not a politician,” Anderson said. “He just wants to do what’s right for America.” Anderson admitted she hasn’t given Pence much thought.
Many paradegoers were unaware that Pence would participate and professed indifference to his presence. More than one attendee expressed a lack of interest in politics, especially this far from the 2024 election.
“It’s exhausting,” one Iowan told The Epoch Times, referring to the frequent political ads that will be featured on television for more than a year.
Laura Lien-Schwartz of Urbandale was aware that Pence would attend. “That might have had something to do with our attire,” she told The Epoch Times. Lien-Schwartz and a handful of companions wore rainbow T-shirts.
“My top concern is ensuring that people have basic human rights, the right to live authentically, and to be safe in this country and in this state,” she said, who believes those issues are having an economic impact on Iowa.
“You don’t have to live in this state to work in the state,” Lien-Schwartz said. “So I can work for a company that’s in the state and live in a state that’s inclusive and supportive of people’s rights to live the way that they want to live. Why would I live in a state where they aren’t safe?”
The 64-year-old Pence walked the entire two-mile parade route in 85-degree heat, dashing from one side of the four-lane avenue to the other to greet attendees, winning smiles and handshakes with his considerable interpersonal charm.
Rural Priority: The Economy
The Pence campaign moved on from Urbandale to make an afternoon stop at the Midland Power Cooperative in the farming community of Boone, Iowa, some 35 miles north.
Pence spoke for about 10 minutes after a glowing introduction from utility executives and Boone County Republican leaders. The candidate then fielded questions from the audience for the better part of an hour.
Utility and economic issues were the prime concern in this rural community, as attendees posed questions on the use of natural resources, the nation’s supply chain, regulatory affairs, and interstate commerce.
Pence relied on familiar talking points from his stump speech, saying that he intended to hang a Made in America sign on the White House, unleash American energy production, and ensure that laws are made in the legislature and not by regulatory agencies.
Touting the achievements of what he refers to as the Trump-Pence administration, Pence said, “We came in, we cut taxes, rolled back regulation, unleashed American energy, secured the border, and took three steps back … and America boomed.”
“You just throw a little bit of freedom, a little bit of limited government in there, and America’s going to come roaring back faster than you can possibly imagine.”
The crowd of about 75 attendees warmly engaged Pence with frequent applause and laughter at his well-delivered quips and one-liners.
It’s uncertain whether the experience changed any minds.
Pence’s remarks hit on the key concern for freshman state Sen. Jesse Green of Boone. “I think for my constituents, ethanol is always up there,” the fifth-generation farmer told The Epoch Times. “Ethanol is so vital to our economy.”
However, Green endorsed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis after he won reelection by a wide margin in November. “I think he’s the guy at this time that that can win this election,” Green said, adding that the entire field of Republican candidates is very strong.
Other attendees reserved judgment, not wanting to endorse any candidate at this stage of the race.
Iowa Nice
Notably absent from both venues was hostility toward any candidate or point of view. Those who criticized Pence refrained from the hyperbolic rhetoric or confrontational demonstrations often seen at campaign events.
The absence of protestors may have been due to Pence’s penchant for holding small, lightly publicized events. The neighborliness that seems endemic to Iowa society may also be a factor.
“People here are busy living,” Boone County Sheriff Andy Godzicki told The Epoch Times. “They’re really not divisive.”
The Illinois transplant described the neighborly culture of Iowa as radically different from that of his former home in the Chicago area. “Here, you get to know people whether you want to or not. I’d give my life to defend this way of living.”
Even one Democrat who spoke with The Epoch Times was willing to concede that what he called a moderate Republican like Pence might be able to unseat President Joe Biden in 2024.
Job No. 1
Pence’s first challenge will be to convince Republicans that he not only is more presidential than Trump but also more electable. The former vice president has a long way to go.
Trump leads the field of Republican candidates, polling at 52 percent to DeSantis’s 24 percent, leaving Pence at a distant third with 7 percent.
In Boone, Pence asked attendees to believe he is the better choice than Trump without raising the specter of Jan. 6 directly.
“Think about the times in which we live,” Pence said, “and the kind of leadership we need in these times.”
He then shook the hand of every person in the room.
