The Republicans took advantage of the opening night of their historic midterm convention on Wednesday to denounce Democratic extremism and rally around President Donald Trump in an effort to maintain control of Congress in November.
The event featured the unusual participation of Pennsylvania Democratic Senator John Fetterman, who told the crowd in a video message that he is a "common-sense Democrat" who "will always be with America" and for that reason is denouncing the leftist extremism of his own party.
"I will always reject the extremes, socialism, and that anti-American lifestyle", Fetterman stated, noting that he "would work with President Trump to fight and defend the steel lifestyle" and praising his colleague from the same state, Republican Senator Dave McCormick, whom he called a friend.
Other speakers who delivered speeches that night included the number two House Republican, Tom Emmer, and the chairman of the Republican National Committee, Joe Gruters. Also speaking were the Trump-aligned Senate candidate from North Carolina, Michael Whatley, and the candidate for the Texas Senate seat, state Attorney General Ken Paxton.
Whatley recalled the case of Ukrainian immigrant Iryna Zarutska, brutally murdered aboard a train in Charlotte by a repeat offender African American. "That monster should never have been on the streets," the candidate asserted. Paxton, for his part, took advantage of his appearance to denounce the leftist ideals held by his opponent, Democratic state representative James Talarico.
