'Overreaction': Vance downplays impact of elections in New York, New Jersey and Virginia, calls for GOP unity

The vice president of the United States, JD Vance, on Wednesday urged Republicans not to get carried away in the face of Democratic victories in Tuesday's local elections, describing them as "idiotic" and an "overreaction" to the results in traditionally blue states.

In a message posted on X, Vance downplayed the Republican Party setbacks and emphasized the need to focus on the national picture and internal unity.

“I think it's idiotic to overreact to a couple of elections in blue states, but a few thoughts," wrote the vice president, who has been a key figure in the Donald Trump administration since his election in 2024.

Vance highlighted the efforts of activists such as Scot Pressler and Turning Point USA (TPUSA) in voter registration, recalling that “our coalition is "lower propensity" and that means we have to do better at turning out voters than we have in the past.”

In his second point, he defended the Trump Administration: "The president has done a lot that has already paid off in lower interest rates and lower inflation, but we inherited a disaster from Joe Biden and Rome wasn't built in a day. We're going to keep on working to make a decent life affordable in this country, and that's the metric by which we'll ultimately be judged in 2026 and beyond.”

A call for GOP unity

Finally, the Republican dismissed internal divisions in the GOP. “The infighting is stupid. I care about my fellow citizens--particularly young Americans--being able to afford a decent life, I care about immigration and our sovereignty, and I care about establishing peace overseas so our resources can be focused at home. If you care about those things too, let's work together,” Vance concluded in his release.

The Democratic Victory

For their part, Democrats from across the ideological spectrum celebrated their gains in several races, which include not only the mayoralty of New York, but also the governorships of New Jersey and Virginia, as well as victories on local measures such as Proposition 50 in California, which favors redrawing congressional districts in favor of Democrats.

President Donald Trump, for his part, referred to the Democratic victory by referring to a turning point in the American people with respect to communism. In that line, during a speech in Miami, he noted, "the decision facing all Americans could not be more clear: We have a choice between communism and common sense."