WASHINGTON
\nVice President JD Vance took centre stage at the Republican convention in Dallas on Thursday in a speech seen as an early test of his 2028 White House prospects, offering a message of nationalistic pride that resonated with the pro-Trump crowd. As party leaders grapple with slipping approval ratings and uncertainty over November\u2019s midterm elections, they are also looking for signs of who might eventually carry President Donald Trump\u2019s movement forward.
\nTrump, who followed Vance to the stage with closing remarks, offered little commentary on his vice president\u2019s high-profile appearance, instead imploring supporters to vote Republican on November 3, the stated purpose of the first-of-its-kind midterm convention. The president has yet to signal who he would back in 2028, though Republicans frequently speculate about whether Vance or Secretary of State Marco Rubio is best positioned to lead the party after he leaves office.
\nWith Trump constitutionally barred from seeking a third term, Vance is widely regarded as a leading contender for the nomination. He spoke of an \u201cAmerican birthright\u201d to safety and prosperity that he said Democrats opposed. \u201cDon\u2019t give the country over to a bunch of crazy people because you happen to disagree with us on a policy issue here and there,\u201d Vance said, reinforcing a convention theme that cast Republicans as the party of common sense and Democrats as the party of \u201ccrazy.\u201d
\nVance\u2019s 40-minute speech stayed largely on script, unlike Trump\u2019s free-wheeling speaking style, and at times resembled a presidential nominating convention speech. But in one apparently spontaneous moment, a protester waved a Mexican flag, prompting Vance to respond, \u201cWell, my friend, if you love Mexico so much, get your ass over there,\u201d triggering a loud round of applause and chants of \u201cUSA, USA, USA.\u201d
\nVance then offered to buy the man a plane ticket. Supporters cited the 42-year-old\u2019s youth and appeal to grassroots activists as reasons he is well positioned to advance the party\u2019s populist, anti-establishment agenda once Trump leaves the political stage. Some in the crowd chanted \u201c48, 48,\u201d suggesting Vance could become the country\u2019s 48th president in 2028, but Vance said Republicans first needed to concentrate on winning the November midterm elections.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
WASHINGTON Vice President JD Vance took centre stage at the Republican convention in Dallas on Thursday in a speech seen as an early test of his 2028 White House prospects, offering a message of nationalistic pride that resonated with the pro-Trump crowd. As party leaders grapple with slipping approval ratings and uncertainty over November\u2019s midterm […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-566833","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-world"],"yoast_head":"\n