AKRON, Ohio — Vice President Mike Pence is set to visit Northeast Ohio, just one week after state Democrats vote for the candidate who could possibly replace President Donald Trump.
The Summit County Republican Party announced Wednesday that Pence would be the special guest at its annual Lincoln Day Dinner, scheduled for Mar. 24 at Todardo's Party Center in Akron. Ohio GOP Chairwoman Jane Timken and County Chairman Bryan Williams will also be in attendance.
Pence appearance comes as he and Trump ramp up their general election efforts: While the president is running unopposed in Ohio's St. Patrick's Day Republican primary, three Democrats are still vying for that party's nomination. A January poll showed Joe Biden (Pence's predecessor as VP) leading the state's primary contest by double digits, but most outlets believe it is now neck-and-neck between Biden and Vermont U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders.
No presidential ticket has won an election without winning Ohio since John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson in 1960, and the Trump-Pence ticket took the Buckeye State by eight points over Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine four years ago. However, Trump's national approval rating is currently in the low 40s, and earlier polls have shown him either tied with or trailing his Democratic rivals in Ohio.
Doors for the Lincoln Day Dinner in Akron will open at 3 p.m., with the dinner and reception set to begin at 5:30. The event is open to the general public, but tickets are limited and are not cheap, going for $100 per person or $250 for VIP seating. In addition, couples wishing to attend a photo reception with Pence must pay $10,000.
While the vice president will be appearing as the special guest, all funds gained from tickets sold will directly benefit the Summit County and Ohio Republican Parties, not the Trump reelection campaign. Those wishing to RSVP must provide their name, phone number, and email address by Mar. 16, and can do so by calling state GOP Finance Director Susan Humphrey at (614) 456-2041 or emailing her at shumphrey@ohiogop.org.
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