Mike Pence is asked why he is a TRAITOR at the Iowa State Fair

Former Vice President Mike Pence’s Iowa State Fair debut Thursday turned dramatic when an onlooker asked him why he was a traitor for not helping former President Donald Trump overturn the 2020 election.

Appearing on Day No. 1 of the 10-day event in Des Moines with wife Karen by his side, Pence took the stage at Des Moines Register’s Political Soapbox late Thursday afternoon.

He attracted two high profile hecklers – a MAGA fan who screamed, “You made a big mistake Mike!” and a Jewish liberal who briefly held up a sign behind the former vice president that read, “Make abortion kosher again.”

But it was an audience member’s question that drew attention: “Why did you commit treason on January 6 and not stand by President Trump?” the man asked.

That angered another member of the crowd who yelled, “I’m an experienced buddy, shut up.”

Crowds gathered late Thursday afternoon at the Iowa State Fair for the performance of former Vice President Mike Pence

Pence took the question with strides.

‘That’s a fair question. Look, come on people, that’s why I came,” Pence said.

He pointed to the oath he took on the Constitution the day he and Trump were inaugurated on January 20, 2017.

“Now I know you may have a different impression of what my duties and responsibilities were on January 6 and I’m happy to talk to you about it,” he said, encouraging the man to read the founding document.

It says the Vice President will “count” the votes of the Electoral College on January 6.

“It doesn’t say you can’t, it doesn’t say you can send them back to the states, it doesn’t say you can reject votes, although my former running mate and many of his outside attorneys told me that that authority was there, I knew that never was,” he said.

“I mean, look, there’s hardly an un-American idea other than the idea that one person could elect the American president,” Pence countered.

Former Vice President Mike Pence (right) took wife Karen (left) onstage during his turn at the Des Moines Register’s Political Soapbox event Thursday afternoon

Former Vice President Mike Pence and Karen Pence take a selfie with attendees at the Iowa State Fair on Thursday ahead of his speech

He expanded on that when speaking to reporters after his appearance on Soapbox.

“I understand the disappointment about the 2020 election, remember I was on the ballot,” he noted. “But our country is more important than any man, our constitution is more important than one man’s career – including mine – so I will continue to tell the truth about what I did that day and why I did it.”

“But I’ll tell you, as I get off I have to tell you, I occasionally hear people ask questions like that, I’m always more than happy to answer, but the vast majority of people who talk to me about those painful thank you,’ he remarked.

An attendee walked past Pence on his tour of the fairgrounds on Thursday and said, “I’m glad they didn’t hang you,” video from Iowa Starting line shown.

Looking ahead to the first Republican debate, to be held in Milwaukee on August 23, Pence encouraged his former boss to join the lineup.

“I think everyone should be there,” he replied.

He also suggested that he would be unfazed if he came face to face with Trump.

“People sometimes ask me how I feel about maybe debating Donald Trump, I tell people I’ve debated Donald Trump a thousand times, just not with the cameras on,” he noted.

Pence also said he planned to showcase the Trump-Pence administration’s successes on stage in Milwaukee.

“You know I was always loyal to President Donald Trump. He was my president, he was my friend. And that loyalty never wavered until the day my oath to the Constitution required me to do otherwise,” Pence said. “But I’m proud of that record.”