In Arizona speech, Vance says next president must put Americans first, slams FEMA money for migrants

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Arizona GOP Chair: Biden, Harris ‘abandoned this country’ on immigration

Fox News Digital spoke with Gina Swoboda about what voters in Arizona are looking for in the 2024 presidential election.

Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, rallied supporters in Tucson, Arizona, on Wednesday, the same day early voting began in the battleground state. 

The Republican vice presidential nominee's message Wednesday underscored the Trump campaign's "America First" agenda, insisting to rallygoers that putting Americans first is the essence of why politicians exist in the first place. 

"This country ought to work for the American people and the American people first," Vance said. "We can have compassion for people … by all means, we ought to be compassionate. But you know who our leaders owe compassion to most and above all? It's American citizens. We ought to focus on our own people and put their interests first."

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Vance pointed to the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) administration of funds to migrants for housing and relocation purposes. The roughly $1.7 billion was approved by members on both sides of the aisle in Congress and allowed a slice of FEMA's funding to go to helping states and localities deal with the ongoing migrant crisis.

Simultaneously, FEMA's disaster relief fund, which is entirely separate from the program helping migrants, has continued to receive funding to the tune of nearly $244 billion, ProPublica reported.  

Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, speaks at a campaign event with former President Trump at the Butler Farm Show in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

"Disaster relief ought to go to prepare and to respond to a disaster when it strikes American territory. Our government has got to focus on our citizens, put their interests first, take care of American citizens when a disaster hits," Vance said. "Unfortunately, under Kamala Harris' leadership, you've got FEMA, which is doing resettlement and relocation for illegal immigration.

"FEMA should take care of American citizens when a disaster strikes. That's all it should be doing. And when Donald Trump and I are back in office, that's all it's going to do."

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At Wednesday's rally, held at Tucson Speedway, Vance was joined by his wife, Usha; Robert O'Brien, former national security adviser under Trump; Republican National Committee Chair Michael Whatley; and Arizona GOP Chair Gina Swoboda.

A sign directs Arizona voters to a ballot drop box for early voting outside the Maricopa County Tabulation and Election Center in Phoenix. (Getty Images/File)

Vance implored people to get out and vote early if they have to, despite past criticisms from both him and Trump about early voting. He hearkened back to 2020, when, according to Vance, people who were going to vote for Trump on Election Day could not because of unforeseen circumstances.

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"I don't like election season. I like Election Day. But we are where we are, my friends," Vance said. "We've got an election season, and if the Democrats are taking advantage of it, we've got to do the exact same thing. So whether you're voting on Election Day, or voting by mail or voting early, get out there and make your voice heard.

"I talked to a lot of people who planned to vote for Donald Trump in 2020, and 95 out of 100 of them actually went out and voted for Donald Trump. But you talk to the five who didn't vote for Donald Trump, and it's not because they changed their mind, it's because… their kid got sick, so they had to go pick him up from school, or they worked late that night and weren't able to make it to the polls before they closed. The best way to make sure your voice is counted is to make sure it's counted early."

A sign is seen during a Tucson, Arizona-area rally organized by Act! With Pride Tucson and sponsored by Drag PAC. (Rebecca Noble/AFP via Getty Images)

A majority of states have already begun early voting by mail and in person.

Montana has seen the largest percentage of registered voters request absentee ballots. Biden won Arizona in 2020, but Trump won the state in 2016.    

Following Wednesday's rally, Vance headed to the Mesa, outside Phoenix, for a town hall hosted by the Conservative Political Action Conference. 

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Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, will be in Phoenix on Friday. Former President Trump, the Republican nominee, will be in Prescott Valley on Sunday.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Harris' running mate, was also campaigning in Arizona on Wednesday with stops in Chandler, which is outside Phoenix, and Tucson.