Vice President J.D. Vance returned to Maine on Monday to warn voters that Democratic socialists will destroy the country and blunt President Donald Trump's agenda.
"The Democrats are running a very corrupt game, which is they're trying to tear down this country, tear down our young people, tear down our military," Vance said during a rally in Brewer. "And what's left over with the ashes of what they've torn down is socialism."
"We're going to defeat socialism by giving you a stake in the American Dream and that's how we're going to win the future," he added.
Vance's speech — his second in Maine this year — came as congressional Republicans brace for a potentially bruising midterm election that could end their full control of the federal government after two years. Polls show Americans are deeply frustrated with inflation, the war in Iran and a domestic policy agenda that's done little to ease their anxieties. By invoking socialism and describing Democrats as outright communists, Vance and the Trump administration hope to blunt the voter backlash that may come in November's midterms.
But as Vance tried to convince voters to be patient with President Donald Trump's efforts to overhaul trade and U.S. domestic and foreign policy initiatives, his speech in Brewer reflected the administration's political challenges. His appearance was effectively a rally for Maine Republican candidates up and down the ballot, but two of them — Sen. Susan Collins and gubernatorial candidate Bobby Charles — did not attend after citing scheduling conflicts.
Both are facing difficult races in which Democrats are trying mightily to tie them to Trump and his low favorability numbers that could be a drag on statewide candidates.
The challenge is most acute for Collins as she seeks a sixth term in a race that could determine which party controls the Senate next year. Vance repeatedly described her as an independent who bucks the Republican Party.
"Whenever I'm in Maine I've got to give Susan a little bit of crap because, as you know, Susan is the most independent member of the U.S. Senate and as the president of the U.S. Senate she sometimes makes my job just a little bit harder," he said.
Vance also described Collins as a friend who has visited the vice president's residence "a half dozen times" — a remark quickly highlighted by the Maine Democratic Party.
“Donald Trump and JD Vance’s failing agenda has made life harder for Mainers, and Susan Collins has been with them the whole way, as she voted with them 96% of the time. It’s no wonder J.D. Vance thinks his ‘dear friend’ is doing an ‘amazing job,’” party spokesperson Misha Linnehan said in a statement.
Vance's remarks about Canada amid an escalating trade war also illustrated the political challenges confronting Collins. The Republican has been outspoken against Trump's tariff regime against the U.S.'s longtime ally, citing rising costs to consumers and the whipsaw nature of the dispute as harmful to Maine businesses.
When asked Monday about rising tensions between the two countries, Vance initially said the Trump administration recognized that Maine and Canada have long had a close relationship. He then proceeded to stoke ongoing fears among Canadians that Trump aims to make their country the 51st state.
"Canada is a state ... sorry, Freudian slip. That was actually an accident," he said.
He went on to describe Canada as more hostile to the U.S. on trade than it is to China, yet entirely dependent on the American military for protection.
"Canada is a country that has underinvested in its military that quite literally would get invaded by a foreign country were it not for the umbrella of protection provided by the United States of America," he said.
Vance needed little rhetorical caution in stumping for Paul LePage, the former two-term governor who is attempting to make another political comeback after failing to retake the governor's office in 2022. LePage is running for the 2nd Congressional District seat currently held by Democratic U.S. Rep. Jared Golden. The district has favored Trump in all three of his presidential runs.
LePage is facing state auditor Matt Dunlap. Vance attempted to cast the Democrat as a radical socialist who has allowed Maine to become "a capital" for welfare fraud.
"What I'm asking is that you send an independent voice, a voice for Maine, a voice for somebody who is going to fight for you and against the fraud. Send Paul LePage to Congress and let's get to work to save our country," Vance said.
Dunlap took issue with Vance's characterization, calling it "a lie" and saying that the state auditor's office reports suspected fraud to Maine's attorney general's office for additional investigation or prosecution.
"You know, these allegations are a deflection from the real issues that people are facing, which is soaring costs of health care, heating oil, gasoline, groceries," Dunlap said. "And they want to throw a distraction of a possible fraud allegation that we miss as the cause of their problems."
Maine Public reporter Kevin Miller contributed to this story.
