DALLAS — Vice President JD Vance on Thursday offered his young family — in particular, his newborn son — as a model and a window to the future that the potential 2028 presidential contender envisions for America.In a speech here at the Republicans’ midterm convention, Vance broadly criticized Democrats whom he said do not share his values.He also homed in specifically on two Democratic candidates on the ballot this fall in Michigan: Senate hopeful Abdul El-Sayed and Will Lawrence, who is seeking a House seat.
Vance seized on Lawrence’s since-deleted social media posts that were critical of the nuclear family.“I’ve thought a lot, ladies and gentlemen, about what is the birthright of this newest of Americans, my little boy,” Vance told the crowd at American Airlines Center.“And I think about what the Democrats have said about our shared birthright as Americans, or frankly, the lack thereof.”Attendees listen as U.S.
Vice President JD Vance speaks during the second day of the Republican National Committee midterm convention at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas on Thursday.Kent Nishimura / AFP via Getty ImagesHe added, a moment later: “To the radicals who wish to abolish my family and the thousands and millions of other families all across our country, we have a simple message for them: Stay the hell away from our kids!”Vance’s speech on the convention’s closing night represented something of an unofficial passing of the torch from the term-limited Trump to his 42-year-old vice president, who is seen as a leading candidate for president in two years.
At one point, the audience broke out with chants of “48! 48!” Vance would be the nation’s 48th president if he succeeds Trump.“We’ve got to take care of business this November,” replied Vance, sticking to his common refrain when confronted with speculation about his White House ambitions.“Then we’ll worry about what comes next.” Later, in a moment that captured th...