Vance keynotes Dallas GOP convention as 2028 buzz builds

Vice President JD Vance delivered a combative keynote address on Thursday night, September 10, closing the Republican Party's first-ever midterm convention at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, as the party works to protect its narrow House and Senate majorities in the November elections. In a roughly 40-minute speech, Vance called Democrats the party of hatred, accused them of despising America, and urged voters to back Republicans this fall. The most widely noted moment came when a protester waving a Mexican flag interrupted the speech from the stands. Security removed the man, and Vance told the crowd, "If you love Mexico so much, get your ass over there. I'll buy you the plane ticket," drawing extended chants of "USA." Photos of the commotion also appeared to show a Palestinian flag, though that detail has not been independently confirmed. The moment was not captured on the convention's official television feed, and Vance described it for viewers at home. One broadcast correspondent suggested, without evidence, that the exchange was staged, a claim not supported by other accounts. The protester's identity and motive remain unknown.