Election 2020: Dueling realities about COVID-19 at Biden, Trump rallies

Pence returned to Iowa this afternoon, his second visit this month, and with coronavirus cases, hospitalizations and deaths trending up in the state, he tried to reassure Iowans that "we’ll get through this together" -- taking a different tone on the pandemic from the president's.

"And even as we're seeing cases rising in parts of the country, people of Iowa can be confident that we're going to continue -- we're going to continue to work around the clock to assure that all of our doctors and nurses have all the support they need to give any Iowa family impacted by the coronavirus the level of care we'd want for a member of our family," Pence said. 

The White House coronavirus task force, which Pence leads, has placed Iowa in the "red zone" for new cases, advising Iowans to wear masks, practice social distancing and avoid large gatherings, which was not completely adhered to at Pence’s rally held on the tarmac of Des Moines International Airport. More than half of supporters were wearing masks, but there was no social distancing.

The vice president did continue to wear his mask as he walked from Air Force Two to the stage at the event, only removing it to speak, and giving an elbow bump to Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa -- facing a competitive race of her own -- who introduced him.

He closed his remarks by harkening back to Biden's warning of a "dark winter" at the last debate if the virus continues to spread, telling Iowans instead, "under President Donald Trump, the best is yet to come.” 

Pence's rally in Des Moines, ahead of another rally this evening in Reno, Nevada, comes just days after at least five people in his inner circle tested positive for COVID-19. The vice president continues to test negative, according to his office. 

-ABC News' Justin Gomez

Before departing Fort Lauderdale in Broward County for Tampa, Biden made a stop at a voter activation center to greet volunteers and voter, telling them it "feels good" to be back in Florida, his third trip to the Sunshine State this month, as he pitches himself to senior and Latino voters in the state.

When asked by ABC News’ Karen Travers about the recent poll of the Latino community in Florida that showed a range of support, and if he were concerned that his message was not breaking through in the community, Biden pointed to the diversity of voters in the bloc. 

"No, look, the Latino community here is the most diverse Latino community in the country," Biden said. "It's all across the board. It’s Caribbean. It's Mexican. It's Latin American. It’s across the board. And what you got to do is go to where the people live. And every one of these Latino and Hispanic organizations are slightly different."

Biden also took aim at Trump in is answer, slamming the president for his treatment of Latino and Hispanic Americans.

"He's sending Cuban Americans back to the dictatorship. He's sending -- he’s sending Venezuelan-Americans back to the dictatorship. He’s trying to send Haitian-Americans back. This is a guy who's not doing much of anything to be very helpful," Biden said. 

The former vice president also stressed the importance of Florida to his potential victory in the Electoral College, telling reporters if he wins the state, the race is “over.”

-ABC News Molly Nagle

First lady Melania Trump joined her husband on the campaign trail for the first time of the 2020 cycle, introducing him to thousands of mostly maskless supporters at an afternoon rally in Tampa.

The first lady, also not modeling a mask, began by saying, "In a time when hate, negativity and fear are the messages the media streams into our homes and the large tech companies are protecting political censorship," her husband's administration is focused on "the health and safety of the American people."

As coronavirus cases rise in Florida, she said Trump is working "not only destroying the virus and building back the economy" but "on creating ways for people to safely stop isolating and start gathering with friends again on a safe distances." 

However, public health experts say mask wearing and social distancing should continue with greater diligence to avoid a surge of new cases and have noted distribution of a vaccine to the general public is expected to go well into 2021 at the earliest.

The first lady went on to say those not supportive of her husband’s efforts to produce a coronavirus vaccine are not supportive of the American people -- a swipe as some Democrats have questioned whether they’d take a vaccine if Trump alone said it was safe.

"If you are not supporting the safe production of a vaccine, you are not supporting the health and safety of the American people," she said to roaring applause. "There is no room to play politics on this topic in the midst of pandemic.”

“This country deserves a president with proven results, not empty words and promises," she added. "I ask that you join us in continuing to put America first."

The first lady offered her husband a kiss as he then took the stage.

While this is their first joint appearance on the 2020 trail, the first lady also attended the presidential debates and made a solo campaign stop in Pennsylvania Tuesday, arguing in her most political speech to date that Biden promotes a "socialist agenda."

The Trump campaign said it has postponed Trump’s Fayetteville, North Carolina, rally set for this evening due to "50 miles per hour winds and other weather conditions” related to tropical storm Zeta.

The rally was set to start at 6:30 p.m.

The campaign said it will reschedule the rally for Monday.

-ABC News' Will Steakin