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Barber gets surprise visit from VP candidate

Republican vice presidential candidate Mike Pence gets his hair trimmed by barber Henry Jones in Norristown, Pa., on Tuesday.
Pence's hair cut at black shop

PIPERSVILLE, Pa. — GOP vice presidential candidate Mike Pence got a haircut at a black-owned barbershop on Tuesday before a campaign stop at a mechanical construction company, where he assured a rowdy crowd that his running mate “gets it.”

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has made overtures to black voters in recent days, asking them, “What do you have to lose?” by supporting him.

The barbershop owner, Henry Jones, said in an interview with The Associated Press that a representative for Pence came to the Norristown barbershop on Monday and said “a friend of his needed a haircut.” Though Tuesday was Jones’ regular day off, he obliged.

Jones said he was met at the shop on Tuesday afternoon by sniffing dogs and police cars.

The 74-year-old, who has been cutting hair for four decades, said he doesn’t regularly follow politics and hasn’t been paying much attention to the election.

When Pence walked in, Jones said he had no idea who his lone customer for the day was when he arrived with his wife and daughter. The two chatted as sports fans and husbands while Pence sat for his $20 trim.

As the haircut ended, Jones asked Pence his name. When Pence identified himself as Indiana governor and GOP vice presidential candidate, Jones said, “Vice president?” and added, “This is history.”

“He didn’t try to encourage me to vote for (Donald) Trump,” Jones said of Pence. “He was a very nice guy. It was a good experience, something I’ll never forget.”

Jones said he is undecided in the November election, but will start watching more politics now that he’s met one of the candidates.

Later Tuesday, Pence spoke during a rally at Worth & Co., a mechanical construction company.

Pence said he and Trump are “just 77 days away from the day we will make America great again,” as he promised change from the political status quo.

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