BALTIMORE — Vice President Pence mocked his predecessor Joe Biden (D) at the House Republican retreat on Friday, and said the Trump administration would back gun rights after Beto O’Rourke’s (D) talk of confiscating assault rifles.
“Before I lost interest, I was trying to keep track of what was going on,” Pence told the crowd of Republicans.
“I heard my predecessor said — he was answering a question about his years in the White House — he said, ‘I’m the vice president of the United States.’ So, let me be clear: I am the vice president of the United States of America,” Pence told the room of lawmakers and senior staff, which was met with enthusiasm from the crowd.
{mosads}Pence also criticized O’Rourke, a former Texas congressman, who drew applause at Thursday’s debate for saying the government should take away AR-15s from people.
“Not just gun control, you had leading candidates for the highest office in the land talking about taking firearms away from law-abiding citizens,” Pence said. “Well, the American people deserve to know this president, this vice president, and these House Republicans will always stand for the Second Amendment to keep and bear arms.”
“We are with you today, we’ll be with you tomorrow, and we’re going to fight every day through Election Day for a Republican victory in 2020,” he said.
Pence’s remarks come as the White House and President Trump mull whether to support new background check legislation in the wake of a string of mass shootings that have left dozens dead.
O’Rourke’s home city of El Paso, Texas, was the site of one shooting where 22 people were killed.