GOP midterm convention: Trump directs crowd in a pledge to himself

Donald Trump, Jr., appealed to Republican voters to turn out in the midterm elections, proclaiming “the stakes in this election couldn't be higher” as he worked to draw a contrast between “two competing visions battling for the soul of America.”

“It's common sense versus extremism,” he said during his remarks before Vance’s speech Thursday night.

The president’s son blamed the left for stoking violence that led to the assassination attempt on his father in Butler, the murder of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson, as well as the killing of Charlie Kirk one year ago.

“We've reached a dangerous place in our culture where these extremists don't just excuse political violence; they actually glorify it,” Donald Trump Jr., argued.

Trump called on Republicans to “stay in the game” and turn out in the midterms - stressing the election will determine whether the “Trump mandate” moves forward.

“Communism is on the march, and it's up to us to stop it in its tracks,” he said. “It's all hands on deck,” he said.

-ABC News’ John Parkinson

In prepared remarks released ahead of his keynote speech at the convention Thursday, Vance will call Democrats the "party of hatred," citing a comment he said Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed made about whether Vance's grandfather would love his Indian American wife Usha Vance.

He also makes a plea to Republicans who are disappointed in the Trump administration in the remarks, saying, "I'm not asking you to agree with every policy of our administration. I'm asking you to recognize the contrast with the radicals, and the achievements of the last 18 months.

Vance also pays homage to his friend Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated on Sept. 10, 2025, according to the remarks.

And he touts the accomplishments of the Trump administration -- on crime, immigration, drug prices and jobs.

Former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt encouraged Republicans to get out and vote in the midterms and attacked Democrats on affordability, crime and immigration.

"The Democrats claim to care about affordability, but every single one of them voted against cutting your taxes, against Trump investment accounts for your kids and against expanding the child tax credit. The Democrats' false economic promises may sound nice on paper, but in practice they will only result in empty opportunities in broken communities," Leavitt said.

"We cannot be safe in an America run by Democrats who want to open our borders, defund our police, and abolish prisons," she added.

She also invoked the name of Charlie Kirk, the conservative podcaster who was assassinated last year during a campus appearance in Utah.

"But as mothers, as parents, as Americans, we are called to pair our prayer with action," Leavitt said. "Nobody did this better than our dear friend Charlie Kirk, who spent his life encouraging us to respectfully debate and actively participate in our democracy."

-ABC News' Nicholas Kerr

Sen. Ted Cruz described the Democratic Party as being swept by a "red-green alliance: communists and Islamists coming together" because they hate Christians, Jews, and America.

A day ahead of the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, Cruz said "And on 9/11, could anyone have imagined that Comrade Mamdani would be the mayor of New York?" he said, referring to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

He continued with attacks on Sharia law, saying, "Hear me now. Sharia law has no place in America, Sharia law. Sharia law is fundamentally inconsistent with the Constitution, and we need to stand together and stop it now. A simple truth: When people tell you who they are, believe them."

He focused his attacks on Mamdani, streamer Hassan Piker, Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed and Texas Democratic Senate Democratic Candidate James Talarico, saying " When Hassan Piker says America deserved 9/11, believe him. When Mandami says he wants to seize the means of production, he means it. When Abdul El-Sayed says he has a, quote, ‘obligation to comply with Sharia law,’ he means it. And when James Talarico says he wants to dismantle capitalism, he means it."

He ended by saying, "We must stand and fight for freedom. We must stand and defeat the communists. We must stand and defeat the Islamists, and together, arm in arm, we must save America."

-ABC News’ Diana Paulsen