As President Donald Trump’s approval rating continues to flounder, Vice President JD Vance visited Greensboro on Monday to stump for Republicans in key congressional races in North Carolina.

Recent polls show Democratic former Gov. Roy Cooper maintaining a sizable lead over former Republican National Committee and North Carolina Republican Party chair Michael Whatley in their contest for North Carolina’s open U.S. Senate seat.

Vance applauded Whatley for his leadership and support for the Trump-Vance campaign.

“You all know Michael as the best RNC chair that we have ever had, a man who fought for election integrity and fought so hard that we won a landslide victory in 2024,” he said.

The event comes less than a week after Trump’s rally in Gastonia last Wednesday, where the president addressed a crowd of less than 1,000 people. The crowd was even smaller for Monday’s event at the Koury Convention Center, which has a capacity of up to 3,000.

Trump’s approval rating in North Carolina has hovered in the mid-thirties. Vance acknowledged the challenging political climate, saying that some voters have loved the Trump administration’s work, but others are more hesitant and undecided on the upcoming midterm election.

“There are some out there who voted for us before, even, but don’t necessarily agree with everything that’s happened over the last 20 months,” Vance said. “I understand that, but my message to anyone who’s still making up their mind is very simple: If you’re unhappy with the pace of progress, don’t hand power back to Democrats.”

North Carolina’s Senate seat, held by retiring two-term GOP U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis, could be crucial to majority control of the upper chamber. Cook Political Report rates the race as “lean Democrat.”

At the moment, Republicans hold 53 seats, while Democrats have 45. Two independent senators caucus with the Democrats.

Inflation and the cost of living are by far the top concern for North Carolina voters, according to a recent Elon Poll. Democrats have seized on the economy as their main issue this campaign cycle.

“While you’re here, Mr. Vice President, explain something to us: Why does it cost so damn much to live here?” Richard Ojeda, Democratic nominee for NC-09, said in a statement. “They can bring whoever they want here. None of it changes what people see when they open their bank accounts.”

Vance blamed Democrats, who have not held power in Washington since 2024, for the country’s current economic troubles, and claimed that the Trump administration is turning things around. He repeated his statements from the GOP midterm convention in Dallas earlier this month.

“We hit 1 million new jobs created under the Trump administration,” Vance said. “Unlike the last administration, where all the net job growth went to the foreign-born, under Donald Trump’s leadership, 100% of the new job growth over the past 18 months has gone to American citizens for a change, which is exactly how it should be.”

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment for the native-born population in the U.S. increased by more than 1.3 million from January 2025 to August 2026. In the same period, employment for the foreign-born population decreased by about 994,000.

But American citizens are not mutually exclusive with the foreign-born population. The BLS definition of “foreign-born population” includes “legally-admitted immigrants,” some of whom may be naturalized citizens, “refugees, temporary residents such as students and temporary workers, and undocumented immigrants,” according to BLS.

The vice president also encouraged voters to back Laurie Buckhout and Jennifer Balkcom, the Republican nominees for the state’s two most competitive congressional districts.

Balkcom, who represents Henderson County in the North Carolina House, replaced U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards on the ballot in NC-11 after his withdrawal due to inappropriate conduct with his staffers. She’s running against Democratic farmer Jamie Ager.

In eastern North Carolina, Buckhout, an Army veteran, is challenging U.S. Rep. Don Davis in a rematch for NC-01.

“Despite the efforts of congressional Democrats like Don Davis, we have delivered no taxes on tips, no taxes on overtime, and no taxes on Social Security,” Vance claimed.

The Trump administration’s tax legislation offers deductions for taxes on tips, overtime, and Social Security. However, it doesn’t completely eliminate the taxes.

“After Michael Whatley’s close ties with yet another convicted child sex predator were uncovered, it’s no surprise Whatley’s DC insider friends are trying to bail him out,” a Cooper campaign spokesperson told NC Newsline. “Roy Cooper is the only candidate with plans to make stuff cost less.”