Michigan Republican Party Chair Pete Hoekstra addresses Donald Trump and J.D. Vance supporters at a heavy equipment factory in Holland, Michigan, on Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024. | Sarah Leach
”We love our fellow citizens, and we want Donald J. Trump to be president so that they can have a better life.”
That was the closing argument for Republican U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance, who made campaign stops in Saginaw and Holland on Tuesday — one week before voters decide between Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris for the country’s next president.
Vance, who represents Ohio, made a stop at HES, a family-owned and operated heavy equipment supplier on Holland’s south side in West Michigan’s Allegan County. The facility drew about 500 supporters.
His remarks featured frequent criticisms of Harris’ work over the past four years under Democrat Joe Biden’s presidency.
“Kamala Harris’ campaign says she has nothing to do with policies from Joe Biden, even though she’s the sitting vice president of the United States,” Vance said. “Harris is more of the same broken border policies, more expensive groceries and housing, more of a broken leadership.”
Vance said the average Michigan family spends over $1,000 a month to afford basic necessities.
Michigan ranked 32nd out of the 50 states for Forbes 2024 annual cost-of-living index, meaning Michiganders need nearly $3,100 a month for housing, healthcare, taxes, food and transportation.
Vance’s comments heavily hit on the country’s southern border policy, which Vance characterized as a crisis under the Biden Administration.
“Our attitude is, if you came in this country illegally, pack your bags,” Vance said. “There are 425,000 illegal alien criminals in the United States of America today — 13,000 of them are murderers, and, of course, a lot of other criminals beyond that.”
He said undocumented residents stress out systems such as schools and hospitals, drawing on the fact that there are 85,000 children in Michigan public schools who don’t speak English as a first language.
“We know that a lot of those students don’t even speak English. Now, what happens to the quality of Michigan schools when you have thousands upon thousands of children who don’t even speak English?” Vance said. Because we know what that means, the guidance counselors and everybody else have to distract resources from the children of American citizens to focus on the children of people who shouldn’t be here, and that makes everybody’s education worse off.”
Vance didn’t differentiate between those in the country illegally and the 19,000 migrant and seasonal farmworkers who either live in Michigan or travel from other states or countries to provide the labor for the state’s farming operations each season, according to the University of Michigan’s School of Public Health.
Vance claimed that hospital wait times in the state “have skyrocketed because we’ve got legal aliens at our emergency rooms getting health care and getting put in line in front of American citizens,” despite some recent studies indicating that undocumented residents often avoid public health systems to go undetected by law enforcement.
“And I don’t begrudge, by the way, any illegal alien for wanting a better life, for wanting to have a good life in the United States of America. No. 1, you’ve got to come through the proper channels,” he said.
Even though many of Vance’s talking points Tuesday hit on familiar talking points, supporters said they wanted to partake in the excitement on the eve of the election, rather than having Vance win their vote.
Charity Vanderlaan, of Holland, said she just wants to hear a positive message leading up to Election Day.
“I just want a better world for my granddaughter,” said Vanderlaan, 52.
Robin Vanharn, of Hudsonville, said this was the first rally she’s attended since supporting Trump in 2016.
“I’m just excited to have J.D. Vance here in the neighborhood,” said Vanharn, 60.
She said she’s excited to hear her values affirmed: “We know we’re gonna hear what we want to hear.”
Other high-profile Michigan Republicans appeared during Vance’s Holland appearance.
Michigan GOP Chair Pete Hoekstra said West Michigan conservatives need to turn out to ensure Trump and Vance win the White House.
“I’ve been talking to a lot of the little kids walking in and asking them, who are you going to see? And they say, ‘J.D. Vance,’ but the bottom line is, they’re going to see the next Vice President of the United States,” Hoekstra said. “Over the next seven days, we need you to call everyone you know and tell them to go vote. That’s as long as you have a high degree of confidence they’re voting for Trump. If not, don’t bother at all.”
U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga (R-Zeeland) said Michigan is a must-win swing state on the path to victory.
“Michigan is so important, and I know it’s been tough. I know it’s been tough turning on your television, your radio, your cellphone, you’re just getting assaulted by all the political stuff,” Huizenga said. “But here’s the silver lining: We’re consequential. Your vote is going to determine who is the next president of the United States, who is in charge of the U.S. Senate and who has the majority in the House of Representatives.”
Republicans currently have a narrow majority in the U.S. House, while Democrats have a slim advantage in the U.S. Senate.
According to the Secretary of State’s office, nearly 2 million voters have already cast ballots in Michigan: 1.6 million of those are absentee and nearly 390,000 through in-person early voting centers, which went into effect in 2024. Early, in-person voting continues through Sunday, with Election Day scheduled for Tuesday.
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