WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Vice President Mike Pence visited Palm Beach County on Tuesday and spoke at a packed convention for young conservatives, many of whom were not wearing face masks as Pence praised the Trump Administration's efforts to combat the deadly COVID-19 pandemic.
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Pence addressed a crowd of hundreds at the Turning Point USA Student Action conference at the Palm Beach County Convention Center.
Pence spoke for 30 minutes about the Trump Administration's accomplishments, as well as the role of young people in politics.
"Stay in the fight," Pence said. "Stay in the fight for election integrity. Stay in the fight to defend all that we've done."
WATCH PENCE'S SPEECH:
The vice president said that over the last four years, the Trump Administration has secured our borders, strengthened our military, revived our economy, sparked the creation of the U.S. Space Force, and "launched the largest national mobilization since World War Two" to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
"After a year of hardship and heartbreak for the American people, President Trump delivered on his promise and today we have, not one, but two safe and effective coronavirus vaccines being administered all across America," Pence said. "We have come to the beginning of the end of the coronavirus pandemic."
The event brought together hundreds of young conservative students between the ages of 15 to 25, many of whom weren't wearing face masks or practicing social distancing inside the packed and enclosed convention center on Tuesday.
Large crowds became an issue at the conference over the weekend.
The convention had to turn away hundreds of people at the door on Saturday after Palm Beach County officials said Turning Point USA oversold the venue.
"Turning Point oversold their contract capacity by 500-600 people," County Administrator Verdenia Baker told WPTV in a statement. "The convention center is adhering to the contractual agreement with Turning Point of a 2,000-person capacity; this leaves 500-600 people unable to enter the convention center. At this time, Turning Point is addressing the individuals not allowed to enter the Center and the crowd has started to disperse."
Turning Point USA sent out a tweet Saturday night saying it did not oversell and there was overflow space inside, but it was told it couldn't use that space and was working to accommodate those impacted.
The tweet says Turning Point USA "DID NOT oversell. Capacity in main ballroom is restricted to 50% but ample overflow existed. Tonight we were informed attendees wouldn't even be allowed to register in the foyer if main space was at capacity. TPUSA is working to accommodate all attendees impacted."
Further @TPUSA DID NOT oversell. Capacity in main ballroom is restricted to 50% but ample overflow existed. Tonight we were informed attendees wouldn't even be allowed to register in the foyer if main space was at capacity. TPUSA is working to accommodate all attendees impacted.
— Turning Point USA (@TPUSA) December 20, 2020
Tuesday is the final day for the Turning Point USA Student Action conference.
The line was long and not really socially distanced this morning to enter Convention Center in West Palm Beach for VP Pence’s speech to Student Action Summit. pic.twitter.com/SDIf4SoxKK
— Matt Sczesny WPTV (@WPTVMatt) December 22, 2020