Vice President JD Vance called on Republican lawmakers Tuesday to intensify their focus on issues such as crime, inflation, and prescription drug costs during the final 49 days of the midterm election campaign. Addressing Republican members of Congress in a closed-door huddle, Vance emphasized the critical stakes of the upcoming elections and urged them to articulate how the Trump administration's policies directly benefit constituents.
"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 told the lawmakers, according to audio obtained by Fox News Digital. He stated that a Republican majority would ensure Americans are "less able to afford their prescription drugs, who are going to be less safe in the homes, in their neighborhoods if the other guys get the majority."
Vance specifically directed members to highlight the decrease in crime rates, noting that the homicide rate has reached a 126-year low. He presented this statistic as a tangible benefit for voters, explaining that in a country of 330 million people, this translates to "thousands of people" who are safe with their families. "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," he said.
He cautioned against viewing the election as an abstract political contest, stating, "This is not about whether someone with an 'R' or a 'D' next to their name wins. This is about whether the American people in this country that we love have a government that they deserve, that protects them, that fights for them, or whether they have a government that treats them as a means to end."
Representative Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., described Vance's remarks as effective. "I think he did a great job. He's very good. He's very personable," Burchett told Fox News Digital.
Vance also offered campaign advice, suggesting that lawmakers should connect personally with voters and not rely solely on political consultants. He indicated that voters understand that challenges like inflation and national debt were inherited and that progress takes time. "They know that Rome wasn't built in a day," he said.
He urged members in safe districts to financially support colleagues in competitive races. "So here's the thing, this is not rocket science. You guys know this better than I do, you know your districts better than I do," Vance stated. "We know that most voters, particularly the voters who are open-minded, who are not hardcore partisans, they don't really start paying attention to the election until right about now."
Vance shared a personal anecdote about Senator Lindsey Graham's support during his 2022 Senate campaign in Ohio, emphasizing the importance of camaraderie and shared energy on the campaign trail. "You're telling jokes, you're enjoying it. That energy — people pick up on it. So, get out there and campaign with your friends," he advised.