OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – Vice Presidential candidate JD Vance made a stop in Oklahoma City Friday focused specifically on campaign financing.
The decision to have a fundraiser, according to U.S. Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), was in the works for weeks before the assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump.
"[Trump] said, you know, I can't think of a better place to start him off than in Oklahoma," said Mullin on his conversation with Trump. "They love [Trump]."
Trump certainly felt the love in 2016, with the majority of Oklahomans in all counties turning out in support of him for the presidency. Mullin says that support is what fueled Trump's decision, a move he said would lead to the single largest political fundraiser Friday in Oklahoma's history.
The problem for Oklahoma Rep. Forrest Bennett (D-OKC), was that the fundraising event was a private luncheon; attendees invited to attend and paying hundreds of thousands of dollars to do so. The event was also held in one of Oklahoma's richest neighbors at a private residence.
"A place like Oklahoma where there are many loyal Republican voters, it's surprising that they're not being rewarded with an ability to see the vice presidential nominee," said Bennett.
Bennett pointed out Vance's continued talks about the working class on the "outside of society," and said the event was in stark contrast from "what he wants his persona to be."
Mullin addressed some potential factors in that call, considering local and state media partners were also denied coverage of the event. He said security has been tight, with the United States Secret Service on the ground in Oklahoma for five days before the visit even happened.
"The guest list is a lot harder to add people to," said Mullin. "They're doing a lot harder job of vetting everybody that's going to be there you know. We're having to have shuttles bring people in. They're not allowing people to drive cars there."
A News 4 employee asked Mullin about Vance potentially returning to Oklahoma after Friday's fundraiser for a proper introduction to Oklahomans.
"There's a lot of places to go to campaign, but I feel very confident that we'll have him here," said Mullin. "If not during the campaign, once he's in office, I know we'll get him back here."
A News 4 employee also asked Bennett if he believes Vance could and should return to Oklahoma before November.
"Maybe enough attention will be brought to the fact that the good loyal Republican voters of Oklahoma didn't get a chance to, you know, press the flesh with these nominees, and they may make a stop back by," said Bennett.
