Republican vice presidential candidate Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio shrugged off some boos Thursday and asked firefighters gathered for a conference to honestly look at what Democratic leadership has done — and not done.
Vance was greeted by boos when he took the stage at the International Association of Fire Fighters Convention in Boston.
“Semper fi, guys. Sounds like we’ve got some fans and some haters,” Vance said, according to Axios.
“That’s OK. Listen to what I have to say here, and I’ll make my pitch,” he said.
Vance noted his past as a “never-Trumper” but cited a comment that helped change his perspective from a firefighter friend who praised Trump’s “commitment … and dedication to the health, the safety and prosperity of our fire responders,” according to Newsweek.
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Vance addressed the convention one day after Democratic vice presidential candidate Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota.
Vance was booed later in his speech when he said he and former President Donald Trump are the “most pro-worker Republican ticket in history,” according to Fox News.
Vance said union members need to be honest about what they received in return for their early backing of President Joe Biden.
“In 2019, this union endorsed a Democrat for president with high hopes. But sadly, I believe you’ve been let down,” he said.
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“And we have to be honest, my friends, the hard truth is that Kamala Harris is the latest in a long line of Democrats who come by every few years asking unions for money and promising you the moon, but often failing to deliver. After supporting Democrats for so long in this union, what has it gotten you?” Vance asked.
Vance said unions need to break from their long-time Democratic Party allegiance.
“The influence of unions has declined, and the wages of working people, union and non-union alike have not kept up with the pace of inflation over the last three and a half years,” Vance said.
“So I want to ask you a question that Donald Trump asked America in 2016. What the hell do you have to lose?” he said.
Vance said firefighters were among those impacted when society devolved into riots in the summer of 2020.
“The criminals … were going after our firefighters as they tried to keep our cities safe and put out the fires,” he said.
“We’re going to put criminals behind bars where they belong, and we will always stand with the courageous firefighters and the first responders who keep this country safe every single day,” Vance said.
Vance said a Trump administration brings freedom back to America.
“We’re going to defend your right to free speech, including your right to speak out about unconstitutional COVID vaccine mandates imposed by the current administration,” he added. “We’re going to abolish every single mandate, and we’re going to fight to rehire every firefighter who was wrongly terminated with all the back pay that they deserve.”
