Vance calls out 'scowling' Democrats at SOTU in Wisconsin speech: 'People are kind of crazy'

PLOVER, WISCONSIN: Vice President JD Vance on Thursday, February 26, criticized congressional Democrats for their behavior during President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address earlier this week.

Speaking at a manufacturing facility in Plover, Wisconsin, Vance said he was struck by what he viewed as a lack of support from Democratic lawmakers during key moments of the speech.

His remarks come as Republicans begin outlining their message ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

JD Vance questions Democrats’ response during SOTU

Addressing the workers at Pointe Precision Inc, Vance described watching Democrats in the House chamber as Trump delivered his address.

“All I could think was, these people are kind of crazy,” he said. “These congressional Democrats, if you think about all of the things that they were doing.”

Vance cited Trump’s mention of a 6-year-old girl he said was assaulted by an undocumented immigrant and criticized Democrats’ visible disapproval.

“This 6-year-old girl, hurt by a human being who never should have been in this country in the first place, who was led into this country by Joe Biden and the Democrats, and she's hugging her dad, and she's so excited,” Vance claimed. 

“And then I look over the congressional Democrats, and they're just scowling. They cannot clap their hands for a 6-year-old who survived an attack from an illegal alien,” he added.

Vance framed the upcoming election as a broader judgment on Democratic leadership, questioning the party’s policies.

"The question of the next election is not, do we want low taxes, and of course we do; it's not, do we want a secure border, and of course we do. It's a more fundamental question than that," Vance stated. 

"Do we want to give power back to the people who opened our border, who raised your taxes, who won't even cheer for a 6-year-old girl who was wounded because of their bad policies? And I think our answer that is hell no,” he said.

JD Vance speaks in Wisconsin on affordability and fraud

During the same appearance, Vance turned to economic issues and allegations of government fraud, arguing that Republicans offered a different approach on affordability and oversight.

“The question in November is, do we give power to the people who fight for corruption, who fight for fraud, who fight for illegal aliens, or do we give the government to the American citizens for whom it was designed and for whom it was created?” Vance said. 

He blamed Democrats for what he described as rising costs and cited alleged corruption in Minnesota, referencing an example he said involved money being diverted away from autistic children.

The visit also drew a response from Democratic Senator Tammy Baldwin, who said the trip was aimed at supporting Republican Rep Derrick Van Orden in a district targeted by Democrats.

Baldwin said it was beneficial for Vance to visit Wisconsin “so he can see exactly how this administration’s policies are affecting and in many ways harming Wisconsinites,” and described Van Orden as being in “lock step with this administration.”