JD Vance walks off stage to check on woman who collapsed at rally before '48!' chants erupt

NORTH PLATTE, NEBRASKA: A medical scare briefly brought Vice President JD Vance’s campaign event in North Platte to a halt on Thursday, October 22, when an attendee in the stands appeared to collapse. 

Vance turned his attention to the crowd and led a prayer before leaving the stage to check on the woman.

Vance’s Nebraska stop was part of his midterm campaign push for GOP incumbents Pete Ricketts and Jim Pillen, who are seeking re-election as senator and governor, respectively.

Vance's powerful display of empathy

With the woman receiving help in the stands, Vance temporarily shifted the focus away from politics and asked rallygoers to join him in prayer. 

He recited the prayer aloud, with several attendees following along.

“While they're working on her, maybe those who are of the praying type will join me in a prayer,” he said.

People near the woman attempted to cool her by waving signs as she appeared to recover. Vance then left the stage and made his way through the crowd to check on her directly.

The atmosphere shifted again when he returned to the podium, with attendees chanting “48! 48!”, invoking the possibility of Vance becoming America’s 48th president.

Later, Vance took to social media to share a message for the attendee, saying he was praying for her recovery. 

“My prayers are with the woman who had a medical emergency at today's rally in Nebraska. I hope she has a speedy recovery,” Vance wrote.

He also thanked the responders and members of the crowd who helped her during the incident.

Vance announces $1.3 billion fertilizer investment

Vance’s Nebraska visit also included an announcement focused on reducing agricultural costs, as he outlined a $1.3 billion investment in domestic fertilizer manufacturing.

The investment includes plans for two manufacturing facilities in Nebraska, with TalusAg among the companies involved in the initiative. The proposed facilities are expected to expand domestic production of ammonia, a key ingredient in fertilizer. Their exact locations had not yet been confirmed in local reporting.

Speaking at the event, Vance highlighted the contribution of Nebraska’s farmers and ranchers, crediting their work with playing a significant role in sustaining the country’s economy and food production.

He presented the investment as a way to support agricultural communities by increasing the availability of fertilizer made in the US.

The vice president said the initiative could benefit around 32,000 farmers who cultivate more than four million acres across the country.

He suggested that greater domestic production would help make fertilizer more affordable for growers, potentially easing one of the expenses associated with running agricultural operations.

The announcement added an economic dimension to Vance’s Nebraska appearance, bringing attention to farm input prices and US manufacturing.

Agriculture is a major part of Nebraska’s economy, making the issue particularly relevant to the audience gathered for the campaign event.