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Vance Rallies House Republicans in Capitol Hill Huddle as Midterms Near
ReVance Rallies House Republicans in Capitol Hill Huddle as Midterms Near
Vice President JD Vance met privately with Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill, urging them to campaign aggressively in the final 49 days before the midterm elections and to focus on crime, the economy, and the Trump administration's record.
Vice President JD Vance huddled with Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, delivering a closed-door pep talk aimed at energizing the party in the final 49 days before the midterm elections. According to audio obtained from a person in the room, Vance urged members of Congress to «kick a--» on the campaign trail and to make the case that Republican control of Congress directly affects Americans' daily lives.
Vance framed the stakes in stark terms, telling lawmakers that the outcome in November will determine whether people can afford their prescription drugs, whether they feel safe in their neighborhoods, and whether they have a government that protects them. «There's people out there right now whose lives are going to get better, or their lives are going to get worse based on whether we're in the majority or whether we're in the minority,» Vance said. He added that if Democrats win the majority, «there are going to be people who are going to be poorer» and «less safe in the homes in their neighborhoods.»
The vice president specifically urged incumbents to hammer home the issue of crime, pointing to the homicide rate reaching a 126-year low. He said that in a country of 330 million people, that statistic translates to thousands of mothers and fathers returning home to their families instead of becoming victims of deadly crime. «There are tens of thousands of children who will come home tonight and work on their homework with mom or dad, rather than a stranger, because of what we've been able to do in supporting law enforcement,» Vance said. He stressed that the election is «not an abstraction» and «not about what you see on CNN or Fox News.»
Vance also offered campaign advice, ribbing political consultants for being out of touch and insisting that «the American people are not dumb.» He said voters understand that President Donald Trump and his administration inherited problems including inflation, massive debt, and a country that was weaker on the national stage. «They know that Rome wasn't built in a day,» he said. The vice president directed members to «pound the pavement» in their home districts and to personally connect with as many voters as possible, noting that most open-minded voters do not start paying attention to the election until around this time.
He also urged Republicans in safe districts with no real opposition to contribute money to the campaigns of colleagues in competitive races. «This is not rocket science,» Vance said. «You guys know this better than I do, you know your districts better than I do.»
After the meeting, Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., praised Vance's performance. «I think he did a great job,» Burchett said. «He's very good. He's very personable.» Burchett added that Vance «has got some kind of voodoo thing going on where he remembers everybody's dadgum name. It kind of freaks me out a little bit.» He recalled an encounter with Vance at a bathroom and noted he had invited the vice president to a University of Tennessee game.
Vance also reflected on his own 2022 Senate campaign in Ohio, recalling how late Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham joined him on the trail. «I'll never forget this,» Vance said. «Lindsey Graham comes out — I didn't know Lindsey Graham at all, and you guys know how the campaign trail is in the final stretches.» He described the energy of campaigning with friends, saying «people pick up on it.» Vance remembered Graham telling stories that had him «aching with laughter,» half of which he said he could not repeat.
The huddle comes as Republicans confront difficult midterm terrain, with the party working to defend its majorities in both chambers. Vance's message aimed to unify lawmakers and focus their messaging on pocketbook and public safety issues that he argued resonate with voters. The vice president's appearance on Capitol Hill underscores the administration's push to keep Congress in Republican hands and to translate policy wins into electoral success.
