Republican Vice Presidential nominee and Ohio Senator JD Vance electrified a crowd at the Reading Regional Airport during a town hall event Saturday evening, emphasizing the importance of the upcoming 2024 presidential election. Vance, running alongside former President Donald Trump, laid out a broad vision for America while engaging directly with voters on issues ranging from election integrity and homeownership to the economy and national security.
With only 25 days left until Election Day, Vance didn’t hesitate to galvanize supporters, declaring, “In 25 days, we’re going to turn Pennsylvania red and take the whole country with us.” The town hall event was not just a campaign stop but an opportunity for voters to ask questions and express concerns directly to the candidate.
One of the key points in Vance’s address was his call to action for voter turnout, urging the crowd to “make our voices heard” and reminding them that voter complacency could alter the course of the election. His emphasis on energizing the base, particularly in battleground states like Pennsylvania, underscored the campaign’s strategy leading up to Election Day.
In response to a question about housing affordability from a local voter, Vance pointed to the rising cost of energy and regulatory burdens as the key drivers of increased home prices. He promised that a Trump-Vance administration would prioritize lowering energy costs and reducing bureaucratic red tape to make housing more accessible. Vance stated, “We are going to make it easier to build more homes for American citizens.”
Vance also touched on the critical issue of election integrity, a central theme of the Trump campaign since 2020. He reassured voters that Republicans are better prepared this cycle to ensure a fair election, citing improvements in lawsuits and efforts to maintain accurate voter rolls. “We’re fighting every single day to make sure that every legal ballot—but only the legal ballots—count,” he emphasized.
A retired state trooper from Pennsylvania raised concerns about election fraud, to which Vance responded by outlining the steps his campaign and the Republican National Committee are taking to safeguard the process. He encouraged voters to check their registration and even volunteer as poll workers, a measure aimed at securing the integrity of the election. “If we overwhelm this system with as many votes as possible, we are going to make Donald Trump the next president of the United States,” he declared.
Economic concerns also featured prominently during the event. Julia, a voter with a background in engineering, asked Vance how the U.S. can compete with China, especially in the realm of manufacturing. Vance responded by emphasizing the need for energy independence and tariffs to level the playing field with nations like China, which he accused of exploiting “slave labor.” He reiterated Trump’s America-first message, advocating for policies that would bring jobs back to the U.S. while protecting American workers.
“The reason we won World War II is that we had the best industrial capacity in the world. We need to get back to that if we’re going to stay competitive,” Vance argued.
Immigration, another hot-button issue, was also addressed. A legal immigrant from the Dominican Republic and small business owner, Rossi, asked how the Trump-Vance administration would support small businesses and reward legal immigrants. Vance responded by praising small business owners as the backbone of the American economy, promising to reduce regulations and cut taxes for businesses that hire American workers. He also sharply criticized current immigration policies, which he argued reward those who break the law.
“It’s insulting to American citizens and to legal immigrants who did it the right way,” Vance said, reiterating Trump’s hardline stance on border security and illegal immigration.
As the event came to a close, Vance reflected on the personal sacrifices of the campaign, particularly in terms of balancing family life with the demands of running for national office. He expressed hope that his children would appreciate the generosity and spirit of the American people, recalling an encounter with a woman who, despite struggling to afford groceries, prayed for his family.
“We have a great country, my friends. Let’s go and save it together,” he urged the audience as the town hall concluded.
With less than a month remaining in the campaign, JD Vance’s visit to Pennsylvania signaled a full-throttle effort to energize voters and reclaim the White House for Republicans in 2024.
In response to Vance’s visit to Reading, Onotse Omoyeni, Pennsylvania Rapid Response Director for Harris for President, issued a statement criticizing his alignment with Trump’s policies. “JD Vance will defend Trump and his extreme Project 2025 agenda every step of the way, even if it means banning abortion in Pennsylvania and cutting taxes for the ultra wealthy while raising costs on everyday working families by nearly $4,000. Pennsylvanians are sick and tired of Trump and Vance’s extremism and divisiveness, which is why they are ready to back the only candidate in this race who is fighting to take our commonwealth forward: Vice President Kamala Harris,” Omoyeni said.