Midwest GOP seeks campaign support from JD Vance ahead of midterms

Midwest Republicans are looking for Vice President JD Vance to be out on the trail ahead of the midterms to push for higher voter turnout and to focus on economic issues as people have been worried about the economy. The push comes ahead of the 2026 midterms where the GOP has a razor-thin majority in the House and is looking to hold onto that edge which has historically gone to the party out of power.  

Michigan GOP Chairman Jim Runestad said that Vance is “definitely going to be in Michigan quite a bit this cycle." He noted that the VP's team has been communicating about “all of the different possible options for him to come out," per Politico.

“Having [President Donald Trump and Vance] come here is absolutely vital,” Runestad said. The vice president will be visiting Michigan as well as a number of other states in the Midwest that have competitive House and Senate races that may determine the party that controls Congress.

During the 2024 election, Vance commonly made stops in the Midwest, the same region where he grew up and wrote about in his best-selling novel, Hillbilly Elegy. His story of growing up in a broken home in Middleton, Ohio has become a key part to his image as well as political messaging. According to Politico, while Trump's chief of staff Susie Wiles has promised that the president will be traveling across the country to help support midterm candidates, many Republicans view Vance as one who can drive home the MAGA message in the Midwest, especially in states like his home of Ohio.

“Republicans need Vance and every other card they can play to get the Trump voters to show up,” Dennis Lennox, a Republican strategist from Michigan said. The GOP is looking to flip Senate seat currently held by Democratic Senator Gary Peters. GOP candidate Mike Rogers got good news last week about polls showing that he leads all three Senate Democrat candidates.

“It’s a constant conversation for us” about if Vance will visit his home state, Ohio Republican Party Chairman Alex Triantafilou said. “Anytime we can get the vice president to show up and drive turnout, we welcome that.”

Anika Rickard, who is the communications director for the Wisconsin GOP, said that Vance and Trump can be “a great motivator for that core base of Republicans that we need to win the midterms.” Rickard added, “I believe there will be some future visits" from Vance.