Military personnel and their families awaited the arrival of Air Force Two at Corpus Christi International Airport on Wednesday. They shook hands and snapped photos with Vice President Mike Pence before he headed to Rockport to meet with members of the First Baptist Church there.
Residents said they are optimistic for the future.
“It’s nice just knowing that there is someone behind us that’s going to look after us and take care of us,” Steve Carleton said.
Pat Rios, newly elected mayor of Rockport, said Pence promised continued support from the federal government.
“He’s kept his promises. We’re just extremely happy that he’s back here,” Rios said. “I had a great conversation with him talking about progress, how far we’ve come, but then we also discussed where we need to go from here, and he’s on board.”
The Rev. Scott Jones reflected on the shape the church was in when Pence visited last August. The new building serves as a symbol of Texas-sized strength.
“We’re very thankful that he would take the time to come to see the progress that we’ve made in this storm,” Jones said. “To see how much work there is still to do, and to commit to continue to walk beside us through the recovery process.”
