Seniors’ line dancing, bingo canceled over Pence visit: report

Vice President Mike Pence’s scheduled appearance at a fundraiser near Pittsburgh forced a local nonprofit to cancel a slate of seniors’ events over security concerns, The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported Thursday.

Pence is expected to attend a fundraiser for congressional candidate Rick Saccone on Friday at the Bethel Park Community Center, where an area nonprofit typically offers activities for seniors, according to the newspaper. 

As a result of Pence’s visit, the center will be closed on Friday from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.  

Friday’s scheduled events had reportedly included bingo, line dancing and a regularly scheduled lunch.

“From a security standpoint, we can’t allow the general public in there,” Municipal Manager Shawn Arbaugh told The Tribune-Review. 

The nonprofit was reportedly offered the use of two alternative locations.

Pence’s stop in support of Saccone comes after President Trump traveled to Pennsylvania to back the candidate.

Saccone is running against Democrat Conor Lamb in a March 13 special election to fill the seat vacated by former Rep. Tim Murphy (R-Pa.).

Murphy resigned last year after allegations surfaced that he encouraged a woman with whom he was having an affair to terminate a possible pregnancy, despite being a vocal opponent of abortion rights.

The vice president on Wednesday told Republican lawmakers that the party has “our work cut out for us” in the 2018 midterms, but expressed optimism the GOP would retain its majorities in the House and Senate.