Swing state Senate candidates took the stage at the Republican National Convention on Tuesday evening, highlighting each of their races and visions for the future of the country.
Presumptive Wisconsin nominee Eric Hovde used his time to attack rival Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), President Joe Biden, and “border czar” Vice President Kamala Harris. He listed the crisis at the southern border as one of his top issues, specifically pointing to terrorists and fentanyl flowing into the country. He also blamed the Biden administration’s incompetent foreign policy for aggression from Russia, China, and Iran. “Where Biden and Baldwin have failed, President Trump and I will get the job done,” Hovde proclaimed.
Ohio’s Bernie Moreno made similar arguments against his rival, Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH). Moreno emphasized his status as a legal immigrant to the United States and said the “American dream” is under attack by Biden and Brown allowing “millions of illegals to invade” the country. He also took time to congratulate Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) for becoming former President Donald Trump’s running mate.
Former Rep. Mike Rogers from Michigan talked about how “American families have been crushed by inflation” and attacked Democrats for their promotion of electric vehicle mandates, saying that they would “destroy American jobs.” He said, “It is impossible to build an EV without getting into bed with the Communist Party of China.”
Keeping with the anti-communist trend, Virginia’s Senate nominee Hung Cao spoke about his family escaping Vietnam “just days before Saigon fell to the communists” and said, “America saved my life.” However, Cao observed that the Left is now shouting “death to America,” threatening the opportunities that he had been given.
Pennsylvania’s David McCormick, Montana’s Tim Sheehy, Nevada’s Sam Brown, and Indiana’s Jim Banks also took the stage to deliver powerful speeches about how Republican victories can reverse the decline caused by the Biden administration.
However, they were all overshadowed by the speech of Gov. Jim Justice (R-WV), or, more accurately, the presence of his overweight bulldog. Immediately after Justice took the stage, the audience began to chant “Babydog, Babydog, Babydog” before she emerged to loud cheers.
The weakest Senate candidate among the bunch is Arizona’s Kari Lake, who lost a gubernatorial election in 2022 and made ridiculous claims of voter fraud, which she admitted were lies. However, her speech at the convention was surprisingly mild for the normally rambunctious Lake, mainly targeting media bias and illegal immigration.
Two notable nominees who did not speak were Utah’s John Curtis, who had defeated a Trump-endorsed candidate in his primary, and Maryland’s Larry Hogan, who has been a vocal Trump critic. However, Curtis is all but guaranteed victory in ruby-red Utah, while Hogan distancing himself from the RNC bodes well for his centrist campaign.
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The GOP’s Senate slate in 2024 is far better than when conservatives were massacred in 2022 due to poor candidates such as Herschel Walker in Georgia, Dr. Mehmet Oz in Pennsylvania, and Blake Masters in Arizona. While some candidates this year, like Hovde and McCormick, will be facing tough battles, the strength of Trump at the top of the ticket will likely help down-ballot races.
The speeches of Senate candidates at the convention highlighted the big tent that the Republican Party still is. Each one came from a different background, focused on different policy points, and had different visions for the future. However, they all recognized the importance of rejecting the Biden agenda.
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