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Vice President JD Vance used his keynote address at the Republican midterm convention Thursday to frame the November elections as a fight over America’s future, arguing that every child is entitled to inherit the country’s opportunities regardless of background.
The speech also gave Vance one of his most prominent national platforms since becoming vice president to define his own political vision, as he emerges as a central figure in the GOP’s post-Trump future and speculation continues about a potential 2028 presidential campaign.
“Every American child is born an heir, born with the right to inherit the blessings of the greatest country on Earth — not because of who their parents are, what they look like or where they come from, but because they are Americans and this is our country,” Vance said in Dallas.
“And that birthright, ladies and gentlemen, is what this November is all about,” he added.
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Vice President JD Vance used his keynote speech to rally Republicans ahead of the midterms while offering a glimpse of his vision for the GOP’s future. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
Vance tied that idea to his own family, speaking about the birth of his fourth child, Alec, six weeks ago. He said he wants his son and all American children to grow up with access to clean water, healthy food, a quality education, safe communities and the opportunity to afford a home and raise a family.
He also connected that vision to the legacy of his late friend Charlie Kirk, who was killed one year ago. Vance said Kirk encouraged young men to fall in love, start families and become fathers.
The speech marked a shift from the personal story of Vance’s Appalachian upbringing that he emphasized during the 2024 Republican convention. Instead, Vance presented himself as a father focused on the country his children will inherit, while using the platform to preview the issues and themes that could define his future in the Republican Party.
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Vance used his speech to accuse Democrats of abandoning working-class Americans and becoming the “party of hatred,” while urging Republicans to turn out in November. (Al Drago/Bloomberg/Getty Images)
Vance then pivoted from his family-focused message to a sweeping attack on the Democratic Party. He accused Democrats of abandoning working-class Americans and becoming increasingly hostile toward the country’s traditional values.
“The Democrats are the party of hatred,” Vance said. “They’re the party that despises America and the people who built it.”
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Vance’s keynote also underscored his growing profile as a potential 2028 Republican presidential contender, even as he has said he will wait until after the midterm elections before deciding whether to run. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images))
He urged Republicans to view the November election as more than a traditional partisan contest.
“This November is so much more than red team versus blue team,” Vance said. “It’s about fighting for our fellow citizens, for their dreams, and for the inheritance of a great nation that all of us are going to leave behind.”
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The speech placed family, faith and national identity at the center of Vance’s midterm message while offering a glimpse of how he could define himself within the Republican Party beyond President Donald Trump.