During a rally in Lakeland for GOP candidates, Vice President JD Vance admitted that Republicans are in the midst of a “live fight.”
Republican midterm rally
What we know:
Vance visited an area that Republicans must have an excellent turnout to be successful in November. He was joined by Senator Ashley Moody and Republican candidate for governor Byron Donalds to rally thousands of voters ahead of the upcoming election.
“I happen to believe that the people of Florida are smart and wise,” said Vance. “And if we tell the truth about Angie Nixon, the people of Florida are going to kick her to the curb and send Ashley Moody to Washington. Not to be outdone, Byron Donalds has got a real gem running against him, David Jolly. Almost too easy, ladies and gentlemen. I have the easiest job in the world. I get to talk about how crazy the Democrats are.”
Vance’s comments on upcoming election
What they’re saying:
Polk County voted for Trump and Vance by a margin of 21 points in 2024, and said based on the turnout to the rally, Florida is “MAGA country.”
.@VP: "For 16 months, we haven't released a single illegal immigrant at the border." pic.twitter.com/zmz3dqWNLr
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) October 1, 2026
“Now it’s a live fight, I hate to say it, right here in the state of Florida,” said Vance. “As reasonable and rational and freedom-loving as this state is, you’ve got some real choice Democrats running in the State of Florida. Look no further than Angie Nixon, the self-described — it’s almost too easy to make fun of her — the self-described socialist that the Democrats put up against Ashley Moody this fall.”
He also called Democratic governor candidate David Jolly a flip-flopper who has never held a real job other than being a political pundit.
If this is an election to be fought on the economy, Vance blamed inflation on the Biden administration, insisting that prices have come down. He pointed out that the Big Beautiful Bill created deductions for taxes on tips, overtime and Social Security.
During the rally, Vance highlighted Republican efforts to keep chemicals out of the food supply, ban fluoride in water, and reduce fentanyl deaths.
Democrats respond
The other side:
Democrats held a press conference earlier in the day, saying just the fact that Vance is in Lakeland this late in the campaign shows that the GOP knows its message hasn’t worked.
“They’re having to defend red areas,” said Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried. “And, I think that they’re seeing the same things that we’re seeing. That there is an enthusiasm gap with the Republicans. They are frustrated, they are angry. They are angry at the corruption coming out of DC. They’re angry at corruption coming out of Tallahassee. And so they have to come to what should be pretty easy territory for them. And they gotta come home and they gotta defend their turf, because we are making inroads even in the reddest of areas.”
Preparing for Election Day
What’s next:
The election is already underway in some ways, with mail ballots having already gone out. Signs at the rally encouraged his supporters to vote on November 3.