'Kick out the rest': Vance turns Florida rally interruption into midterm message

LAKELAND, FLORIDA: Vice President JD Vance used two interruptions at his Florida rally on Thursday, October 1, to sharpen his midterm message, saying, “we’re going to kick out the rest of the Democrats” after a heckler was removed.

Vance was campaigning for Florida Republicans including Senator Ashley Moody and gubernatorial candidate Byron Donalds, framing the election as a choice between the parties.

The first interruption came while Vance praised Moody, while the second occurred as he discussed Donalds and Florida schools.

JD Vance calls protester a 'Democrat plant'

A man began shouting from the crowd as Vance praised Moody, prompting the vice president to call him “a clown” and, without evidence, a “Democrat plant.”

“Well, we kicked him out, just like we're going to kick out the rest of the Democrats,” Vance told the crowd, which responded with cheers.

Vance then returned to Moody, highlighting her record as Florida attorney general and her positions on immigration, law enforcement and food regulation.

The second interruption came while Vance was talking about Donalds, the Republican candidate for governor.

After a woman shouted from the audience, Vance asked what she was saying before interpreting her remarks as support for putting “left wing bureaucrats” in control of Florida schools.

Vance uses interruptions to contrast parties

Vance contrasted that with Donalds’ position that parents should control their children’s education.

He then shifted to law enforcement, praising a Florida deputy who had been wounded in the line of duty and arguing that Republicans would stand behind police.

Neither interruption derailed the speech. Instead, both gave Vance openings to return to his broader midterm message: pitting Trump-aligned Republicans against Democrats, whom he described as “crazy” and far outside the mainstream.

At the end of his speech, Vance said, "This November 3rd, I want you to send a message. Send a message to the media. Send a message to the Democrats. Send a message to the far-left Radicals. America belongs to those who love it, not to those who hate it. Make sure it stays that way. Get out there and vote!"

The rally followed a Tuesday interview in which Vance discussed another election-related fight with host Vince Coglianese.

JD Vance also details SAVE America fight

In that interview, released September 29, Vance said he and Trump had “wargamed” how to get the SAVE America Act through the Senate. 

The bill would require proof of citizenship and valid ID to register for federal elections and would limit mail-in voting, with specified exceptions.

Vance said one scenario they discussed was whether he could take over as Senate chair and fire the parliamentarian.

He said he had the authority, but acknowledged that “four, five, maybe ten” Republicans could join Democrats to overrule the new chair.

He said that if 50 Republican senators and the vice president stayed together, they could fire the parliamentarian, remove the filibuster and pass the legislation.

“There is no shortcut,” Vance said, arguing that the parliamentarian was not the central obstacle. He said the larger problem was Republican senators who vote with Democrats.

Vance named Senators Mitch McConnell, John Cornyn, Thom Tillis and Lisa Murkowski as Republicans he said would vote with Democrats to stop the legislation.

Senator Ron Johnson separately said Republicans did not have enough votes to overcome the filibuster.

“We’re interested in winning the battle and that means replacing mediocre Republican senators with good Republican senators,” Vance said.