MILWAUKEE (KYW Newsradio) — Day Two of the Republican National Convention hosted some heavy-hitting speakers giving low marks for Democrats and the Biden administration and high praise for presidential nominee Donald Trump.
New Jersey Congressman Jeff Van Drew told delegates he switched parties in 2019 to become a Republican because he felt the Democratic Party’s values no longer represented his views.
“To the independents, and especially to the forgotten Democrats out there for a moment, I want to speak to you. I know how you feel tonight, because that's how I felt back in 2019. You feel like your party has left you behind? Because it has.”
Pennsylvania Republican candidate for U.S. Senate Dave McCormick criticized his opponent, incumbent Democrat Bob Casey.
“You probably don't know him, because he does nothing. For 18 years, Bob Casey has been warming a chair and drawing a paycheck. He is a do-nothing, out-of-touch, liberal career politician.”
The Pennsylvania Democratic Party responded to McCormick's speech, saying, "David McCormick tried to hide behind false attacks because he knows he can’t defend his record of investing millions in Chinese military companies, supporting an abortion ban with no exceptions for rape or incest, and funding China’s largest fentanyl producer."
The unity of the Republican Party and its alignment behind the MAGA movement has been on full display this week in Milwaukee — and never more clearly than on Tuesday night, when formerly bitter GOP primary rivals took to the stage voicing their full support of Trump and his "Make America great again" message.
Trump’s main primary rival, Nikki Haley, took the stage to a tepid response from the crowd — but she quickly turned that into a standing ovation when she said Trump has her strong endorsement.
"I haven't always agreed with President Trump, but we agree more often than we disagree."
Just months after calling the former president unhinged, toxic, and a magnet for chaos, she told the delegates another four years of Biden and Harris would be worse.
"You don't have to agree with Trump 100% of the time to vote for him," she said.
Haley was followed by Ron DeSantis, who says he’s alarmed that President Joe Biden, in his words, lacks the capability to discharge his duties, saying America’s enemies do not confine their designs to the time between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
“America cannot afford four more years of a ‘Weekend at Bernie’s’ presidency,” DeSantis said.
Overall, the message was clear: Republicans are trying to make their case that the Biden administration specifically, and Democrats generally, have failed the country with what speakers are characterizing as far-left policies on immigration, education, crime, the economy and gender issues. Many speakers are hitting on issues at the heart of the MAGA populist message, painting a picture of woke mobs and migrants causing crime sprees across the country — in contrast to FBI statistics showing a sharp reduction in crime.
Trump sat in a box right off the floor, flashing his famous smirk, nodding his head, and mouthing "thank you" toward the stage.
The focus on Wednesday is national security. Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance will address the convention Wednesday night.