Vice President Pence went after Sen. Sherrod Brown Sherrod Campbell BrownHarris faces pivotal moment with Supreme Court battle Remote work poses state tax challenges Senate Democrats release report alleging Trump admin undermined fair housing policies MORE (D-Ohio) and touted his Republican challenger during a speech in Ohio on Friday evening.

Speaking at an event in Columbus where the focus was on the GOP tax-cut plan signed in to law in December, Pence ripped Brown for calling the legislation a "scam" and joining with every Senate Democrat to oppose its passage.

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"[The Democrats have] gone farther to the left than ever before. I mean, you need to only look at Ohio’s Sen. Sherrod Brown to prove it," Pence told the audience.

"I mean, the hardworking men and women of Ohio deserve to know, when it came time to cut your taxes, Sen. Sherrod Brown voted no," he continued.

"Sherrod Brown actually voted no because he called these historic tax cuts a 'scam,' ” Pence said. "The truth is, our tax cuts are delivering a middle-class miracle in Columbus and across Ohio. That's the truth."

During the speech, Pence also touted Rep. Jim Renacci James (Jim) B. RenacciOhio is suddenly a 2020 battleground Democrats fear Ohio slipping further away in 2020 Medicare for All won't deliver what Democrats promise MORE (R), the Trump-backed Ohio Senate candidate who won the Republican primary last month.

"I met Jim back when he was a businessman trying to be a congressman. And I love to tell people, I was for Jim Renacci before it was cool," Pence told the crowd to laughs.

"He’s a leader who's been standing shoulder to shoulder with President Trump Donald John TrumpBiden on Trump's refusal to commit to peaceful transfer of power: 'What country are we in?' Romney: 'Unthinkable and unacceptable' to not commit to peaceful transition of power Two Louisville police officers shot amid Breonna Taylor grand jury protests MORE and our entire administration every day," Pence added."We couldn’t have gotten the tax cuts done without his insight, without his counsel and without his support."

Renacci is running against Brown in a state Trump won by 8 points in 2016, though Republicans admit that Brown is significantly more popular in the state.

Brown's seat is seen as an uphill battle for the GOP as the party tries to maintain control of the Senate, where Republicans hold a one-seat majority.

The RealClearPolitics polling index shows Brown with about a 15-point lead over Renacci with just under five months to go until November's midterms.

Pence's visit Friday also attracted a number of protesters who interrupted his rally inside a Columbus hotel, according to Cleveland.com.

LGBT activists were also expected to hold a dance party outside Pence's hotel where he was scheduled to speak, with several hundred activists showing up Friday, Cleveland.com reported.