JD Vance in Georgia: 'The left needs to tone down the rhetoric'

ATLANTA - Former President Donald Trump's running mate made a campaign stop in Cobb County on Monday evening.

Republican vice-presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance addressed attendees at the Georgia Faith and Freedom Coalition's annual dinner. 

"I believe as certain as I stand here today, Donald J. Trump will be the next President of the United States," Vance told the crowd.  

The event drew supporters from across the state, with attendees traveling from counties as far as Henry, Banks, and Lumpkin counties to hear the Ohio senator speak. 

"I think I speak for everybody in this room when I say we don’t want to force our faith on anybody. What we want is to recognize, and to be motivated by, the faith that I believe is the source of all great truth in human history, and especially in this country," Vance told the crowd. "We want our public policy to be motivated by the wisdom of loving thy neighbor." 

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Vance added that he wants public policy to be motivated by family values, emphasizing that if the family unit falls, so will the country. 

He talked a lot about reproductive rights, which was a hot topic in the recent debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Trump.  

He also made his first public remarks since the attempted assassination of the former president in Florida on Sunday. He said the president called him, told him what happened, and even joked that it all went down as he was about to make a birdie putt. Vance said we need to take this opportunity to call for a reduction in inflammatory political rhetoric.  

"No one has tried to kill Kamala Harris in the last couple of months and two people have tried to kill Donald Trump. I say that's strong evidence that the left needs to tone down the rhetoric and cut this crap out, somebody is going to get hurt," he told the crowd. 

Vance's appearance was part of his ongoing efforts to galvanize Republican voters in Georgia ahead of the upcoming election. 

This marks his third visit to the state since being selected as Trump's running mate. As the election nears, Vance and Trump aim to strengthen their support base in the crucial battleground state of Georgia. 

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, who has publicly endorsed the Republican ticket, also spoke at the event, alongside Ralph Reed, the founder of the Faith and Freedom Coalition. Kemp, a key figure in state politics, reaffirmed his commitment to the party's platform. 

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp speaks at the Georgia Faith and Freedom Coalition's annual dinner in Cobb County ahead of GOP vice-presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance on Sept. 16, 2024. (FOX 5)

"We have stood up for what was right and fought back against those who had taken a stand that could have directed our state or our nation in the wrong direction," Kemp told the crowd. 

With Election Day approaching, Vance urged Republicans to remain united, emphasizing the importance of turnout.