Vance attacks Democrats as 'party of hate' and leaves presidential candidacy open

US Vice President JD Vance sharply attacked the Democrats at the US Republican Party Convention in Dallas and described them as a “party of hate”. The Democrats have become a political force that stands against America and despises the people who built the country, said Vance. But the country should “belong to those who love it, not to those who hate it.”

On the eve of the 25th anniversary of the Islamist attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001, Vance also accused Democrats of having "compassion for the terrorists who committed 9/11" in their ranks.

Vance leaves presidential candidacy open

Looking ahead to the November midterm elections, Vance called on undecided voters to let Republicans control Congress. They shouldn't hand the country over to "a group of crazy people" just because they disagree on individual policy issues. He also defended the government's efforts to limit immigration to the United States. “We were tired of being called racists just because we saw that our country was getting dirtier, poorer, more unsafe and less prosperous,” Vance said.

There were shouts of “JD 48” from the audience - a reference to the fact that Vance could become the 48th President of the USA. He himself left his plans open. "We have to take care of the tasks at hand in November. After that, we'll take care of what comes next," he said.

Trump: "You have to act like I'm on the ballot"

Vance left the finale of the party convention to President Donald Trump. "You have to act as if I'm on the ballot. I'm on the ballot. I'm on the ballot," Trump implored his supporters and repeatedly shouted "go vote." He repeated his promise from the previous evening: $5,000 for every adult citizen in the country if Republicans win the House and Senate again in early November.

This announcement became the main topic of the party conference. Rick Hazen, an election law expert at the University of California, Los Angeles, says. "It's not in Trump's power to do this alone. He needs Congress to do it. Politicians make these kinds of promises all the time. It's part of the campaign rhetoric," said the law professor on the PBS television station.

Polls continue to show Democrats ahead

So far, the poll numbers speak against a victory for the Republicans in the midterm elections. A shift of power back to the Democrats, at least in the House of Representatives, seems likely. Pollster Frank Luntz said on NPR radio. "People look at food prices and wonder why they've gone up. They look at gas prices and wonder if they can fill up their tank."

With information from Ralf Borchert, ARD Washington.