Former Vice President Mike Pence’s jokes failed to resonate with the audience during Wednesday evening’s GOP debate. Two of Pence’s one-liners, focusing on the U.S. economy and his support for school choice policies, received little response from the crowd. When asked about the ongoing autoworker strike, Pence remarked, “Joe Biden doesn’t belong on a picket line, he belongs on the unemployment line.” However, this line was met with silence. Pence also blamed Biden’s green energy agenda for the current strife in the U.S. auto industry.
Later in the debate, Pence engaged in a back-and-forth with former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie about education policies. Pence attempted to make a joke about sleeping with a teacher for nearly four decades. However, this one-liner also fell flat with the audience.
The debate, held at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, featured seven Republican candidates. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis stood at the center stage, accompanied by other participants such as former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, North Dakota Gov Doug Burgum, and former Vice President Mike Pence.
Overall, Pence’s attempts at humor did not resonate with the audience, highlighting the challenges he faced during the debate.
