Vice President JD Vance told a crowd in Brewer, Main that the 2026 midterms are a fight against socialism and made his case in a state Republicans desperately need to hold.
The vice president headlined a rally Monday at Compotech, a defense technology manufacturer, in what marked his second appearance in Maine this year after a May stop in Bangor focused on fraud. Vice President Vance told the crowd of roughly 200 that Republicans would "defeat socialism by giving you a stake in the American dream."
Vance used the stage to boost two of the state's leading November races, giving shoutouts to Sen. Susan Collins and gubernatorial nominee Bobby Charles. Former Gov. Paul LePage, running to flip Maine's 2nd Congressional District, joined Vance and received direct appeals from the vice president.
The visit doubled as a defense of the administration's trade posture. Vance told the crowd that companies investing in American jobs and workers "are going to be rewarded," while those trying to undercut U.S. businesses would find the administration unsympathetic.
Small Business Administrator Kelly Loeffler also spoke, telling attendees the country is seeing a "historic comeback in Main Street" thanks to Trump and Vance, calling him "a fighter for American values."
LePage's House bid gives Republicans their clearest pickup opportunity on the ballot, and Vance made him a centerpiece of the trip. With Collins fighting to hold her Senate seat and Charles running an uphill campaign for governor, the 2nd District could end up the night's biggest bright spot for the party.
Vance has now made two trips to Maine in four months. Whether Monday's message resonates beyond Brewer may decide how much of the ticket Republicans carry in November.
