Vice president to woo voters in liberal Arizona cities
Felicia Fonseca | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 4 years AGO
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — Vice President Mike Pence is planning rallies in Arizona on Friday, hoping to appeal to voters in counties that President Donald Trump lost in 2016.
The visits to the Flagstaff and Tucson airports come as both presidential candidates key in on battleground states ahead of Tuesday's election.
Voters in Coconino and Pima counties supported Hillary Clinton in the last presidential election, but Arizona overall helped send Trump to the White House.
Pence is on a multi-state campaign trip despite criticism from health experts who said he should be under quarantine after a coronavirus outbreak in his office.
The White House approved the trip, saying Pence is exempt from quarantine under guidelines for essential workers. He tested negative for COVID-19.
Pence urged early in-person voting and highlighted reports of a partial economic recovery at a rally on Thursday in Reno, Nevada.
He did not mention the coronavirus outbreak in his office. Trump has spoken at three rallies in Nevada and all were held in defiance of statewide guidelines limiting large public gatherings.
Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, a Republican, has exempted political activity from COVID restrictions. People attending Pence's Friday's events will have their temperatures taken and be given masks to wear.
Trump held Arizona rallies last week in Bullhead City and Goodyear. Vice presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris met with small groups of voters in Phoenix and Tucson on Wednesday.