„I love you too,“ the former vice president replied to the Indianapolis-based crowd on Friday.
Former Vice President Mike Pence was booed upon taking the stage in his home state on Friday during the 2023 National Rifle Association (NRA) Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) leadership forum in Indianapolis.
Pence, who is the former governor of Indiana, was present at the event among a list of Republicans including former President Donald Trump, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu, and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy.
This year, the event occurs in the aftermath of recent mass shootings in Nashville, Tennessee, and Louisville, Kentucky. The same event previously occurred following mass shootings in Parkland, Florida, in 2018, and Uvalde, Texas, in 2022.
Audrey Hale, 28, who was transgendered and ultimately killed by police, used two rifles and a handgun to kill three adults and three children on March 27 at the Christian Covenant School in Nashville. Earlier this week, 25-year-old shooter Connor Sturgeon, who was also killed by police, opened fire in a Louisville bank, killing five individuals and injuring eight others.
The three-day NRA event beginning Friday showcases „over 14 acres of the latest guns and gear from the most popular companies in the industry,“ according to the NRA’s website, and is „the largest gathering of NRA members and Second Amendment supporters in the country.“
When Pence took the stage, he was greeted by an audible chorus of boos and some cheers, which prompted the former vice president to respond, „I love you too,“ before going into his prepared remarks.
