Vice President JD Vance visits Kansas City, stumps for Sen. Roger Marshall

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - Vice President JD Vance traveled to Kansas City late morning as part of an effort to stump for a major GOP candidate in Kansas.

On Monday, Sept. 14, Vance stopped in Kansas City, Missouri, at a federal law enforcement facility to deliver remarks on the Trump administration’s crackdown on fraud.

Other officials who spoke regarding the fraud on COVID-era loan programs were:

• Attorney General Todd Blanche
• Small Business Administrator Kelly Loeffler
• Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division
• FBI Director Kash Patel
• Senator Eric Schmitt

After the event, Vance headed to Olathe to show his support for Sen. Roger Marshall. The two toured Webco Manufacturing Inc. Marshall said the tour will highlight growth and the metro’s economy.

“We are excited to host Vice President Vance next week,” Marshall said on Friday. “Looking forward to sharing the manufacturing renaissance happening across our state—not to mention enjoying the best barbecue in the country.”

Marshall is running for reelection, seeking a second term in November. He faces Democrat Adam Hamilton. Hamilton is the founding pastor of the Church of the Resurrection in Leawood. The church is the largest United Methodist church in the country.

Polling, including the New York Times Poll Tracker, shows the race is well within the margin of error. The tight race is unusual for the state of Kansas, which is historically considered a red state.

Vance highlights manufacturing, worker promotion

The vice president touted the Trump administration’s record on manufacturing and pointed to Webco itself as proof.

“Our job is to fight for workers like Brayden Lewis, a 23-year-old in the paint department,” Vance said. He said Lewis started working at Webco in February of last year and, “in a year and a half he has worked his tail off, resulting in his promotion to lead and a 50% raise in just a year and a half.”

Vance said Webco is “100% worker owned,” telling the crowd, “every single person in this factory who works here, who builds a life here, who makes the incredible things made in this place, it gives more than a job and a steady paycheck. You have a real stake in the future of this business and in the future of this company.”

Vance said, “Since Inauguration Day, just 18 months ago, we have added one million new jobs. All of them to American citizens instead of foreign workers.” He added, “Since the start of just this year, about 60,000 of those new jobs are in American manufacturing.”

Vance addresses immigration policy

Vance said stricter border enforcement is bringing down crime nationwide.

“On day one, we of course ended the border invasion, and now we’ve had 15 straight months of zero releases at the American southern border,” Vance said.

Vance said, “We are currently experiencing the largest reduction in violent crime in U.S. history. Homicides are at their lowest level in 126 years, and it’s because we got the criminals out.”

Vance campaigns for Marshall

Vance spent a large portion of his speech campaigning for Marshall, who is running against Leawood pastor and Democratic challenger Adam Hamilton.

“Roger has been the guy who’s been standing up for Kansas retailers and Kansas small businesses... and it’s been because of Roger Marshall that Republicans have been able to pass the largest tax cuts in American history. It was because of Roger Marshall that we ended taxes on tips, on overtime, and on Social Security. This is a man who fights for you,” Vance said.

Vance also said, “He has been the leader on the fight against Wall Street to bring down out-of-control credit card swipe fees, which is going to make life affordable for everyday Kansans and everyday Americans.”

Protesters removed from event

The event wasn’t without some tension. A few protesters interrupted Vance’s remarks and were escorted out.