Pence cancels scheduled stops in the U.P. Wednesday

Vice President Mike Pence canceled short stops he planned to make in the Upper Peninsula Wednesday and later visits in nearby Marinette, Wisconsin.

Pence planned to land at the Menominee Regional Airport Wednesday morning on his way from Joint Base Andrews to Marinette, Wisconsin, but he cancelled because of a scheduling conflict, said Jason Carviou, the Menominee County administrator. 

Pence was supposed to travel to Marinette for a tour of the U.S. Navy's new littoral combat ship USS St. Louis at shipbuilder Fincantieri Marinette Marine. He was expected to speak on workforce development there.

Pence instead appeared beside President Donald Trump in Washington Wednesday morning as the president made a statement on Syria.

The former Indiana governor was able to make his scheduled visit to Waukegan, Illinois Wednesday afternoon to visit the Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin packaging materials distributor Uline, a company founded by Republican donors Richard and Elizabeth Uihlein. He spoke there on the proposed U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement.

Pence's last visit to Michigan, to Mackinac Island for the Mackinac Republican Leadership Conference, stirred some controversy as the vice president used an 8-car motorcade to drive from the island airport to the Grand Hotel on the usually car-less island. 

The Associated Press contributed.

eleblanc@detroitnews.com