SALT LAKE CITY — Former U.S. Vice President Mike Pence was in Utah on Friday, speaking at a luncheon in Salt Lake City.
The former vice president was inside the Zions Bank Founders Room, at the invitation of the Gary R. Herbert Institute for Public Policy at Utah Valley University.
Local business leaders, politicians and others turned out as the former VP took questions from former Utah Governor Gary Herbert.
"He does have a vision for the future of America, which I think most Americans — Republican and Democrat — can like," said Herbert.
Those questions hit on a wide variety of topics, from the national debt to the biggest challenges Pence feels America is faced with today.
"The greatest challenge facing the United States in the world today is the rise of China, and China today is the greatest strategic and economic threat to the vitality and future of the United States," said Pence.
He also touched on immigration and border security.
"I believe the time has come for a merit-based immigration system," said Pence.
This comes just a day after the former VP testified for hours before the federal grand jury investigating the aftermath of the 2020 election.
Former Gov. Herbert asked Pence to talk about Jan. 6, 2021.
"I'm very limited to speak about grand jury deliberations," said Pence. "If people are curious about what I might say, look at the interviews I have done over the last six months and you can read the pages of that book, because it's the truth — January 6th was a tragic day."
Republican Rep. Karen Peterson, who represents District 13 in Davis County, says it was interesting to hear Pence speak about his experience as vice president.
"Hearing his experiences, especially what he talked about January 6th something, everyone in our nation is interested in what happened that day and he obviously had a front-row seat to that," said Rep. Peterson.
Annaliese Hussey is a freshman at Utah Valley University and an intern at the Herbert Institute.
"I was very excited and I thought it was a great opportunity," said Hussey. "It's nice to hear input and what he thinks about many of the issues in America today."
Hussey told FOX 13 News one takeaway she had from hearing the former vice president speak.
"That we are strong and that we can put our minds to anything that we do," said Hussey.
Pence also spoke about how he believes there is a hunger in this country to restore civility to our public debate.
He added that feels our politics are more divided today than any other time in his lifetime. He said he isn't convinced the American people are as divided as our politics in this country.
Taking aim at President Joe Biden's administration, he also said that he truly believes we are 18 months away from a great American comeback.
