Former VP Mike Pence says he's confident he'll reach fundraising threshold for first GOP debate

Former Vice President and now Republican presidential candidate Mike Pence spoke to a few dozen attendees at a Story County activist meeting at the Fevold Corn Crib Saturday afternoon.Saturday's appearance came less than 24 hours after calling for new Republican leadership at Iowa's annual Lincoln Dinner Friday.In a one-on-one interview, Pence said it’s the "disastrous policies" of President Biden that lead to people grouping he and Trump together as one administration."When you think of the contrast of our record in the Trump-Pence administration with the failed policies of administration, I understand people's appreciation for my former running mate," he said.Despite the need for 40,000 donors to qualify for the first Republican debate on Aug. 23 in Milwaukee, he is confident he will raise the money."I'm very confident we're going to make the debate stage," Pence said. "And, in fact, the outpouring of support from people not only here in Iowa but all across the country gives me that confidence." The presidential hopeful continued his day of campaigning in Nevada and will be in Clinton Sunday afternoon.He plans on making many more visits to Iowa in the future."I promise you, we're going to be in every county of this state," he said. "We're going to do events just like today."