Vice President JD Vance rallied House Republicans in a pre-midterm Capitol Hill visit Tuesday, encouraging members to support each other on the campaign trail and through fundraising.
He did not address the topic that has dominated conversations in Congress in recent days: the risk posed by artificial intelligence and what, if anything, lawmakers ought to do about it.
Instead, according to five people in the room granted anonymity to comment on the private meeting, the vice president urged Republicans in safe seats to help their vulnerable colleague and encouraged members to focus on the “choice” voters face with Democrats.
“I was kind of hoping there would be some conversation” on AI, one House Republican in the room said. “That did not come up at all.”
Another member present called it a “pretty typical rah-rah political speech,” while adding that Vance “projected perhaps a little bit more sunny optimism than is probably generally found within members’ hearts.”
“Very encouraging,” said Rep. John Rutherford (R-Fla.), describing the speech as he left the meeting. Vance, he said, told the room that Republicans are “on a good path, in a good spot right now from the messaging and the financing.”
Another member described it as a “great locker room speech.” Vance in particular attacked James Talarico, the Democratic nominee in the Texas Senate race, according to two of the people.
The conference meeting was also an opportunity for GOP members to play up their individual fundraising. Speaker Mike Johnson said at a news conference afterward that the NRCC yielded more than $20 million in transfers announced Monday morning, including $13 million from Johnson himself — bringing his total for the cycle over $100 million.
Several other members pledged money in the room, according to four people present — including $1 million from Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, who is being closely watched for a possible future leadership run.
Johnson described the meeting as “a raucous party,” with members “crammed” in the room.
“The vice president got them all riled up this morning,” he said. “I did my best to do the same.”
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