US Vice President JD Vance speaks during a midterm campaign rally to support the GOP gubernatorial candidate Byron Donalds in Lakeland, Florida, US, October 1, 2026. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/Pool
Fox News sister network Live Now from Fox cut away from Vice President JD Vance after hecklers repeatedly interrupted his speech at a rally boosting Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) campaign for Florida governor.
The network was streaming Vance live Thursday from a Lakeland, Florida, midterm rally paid for by the Trump 47 Committee, according to the event listing. The rally was held to boost Donalds and Sen. Ashley Moody (R-FL), who both spoke before Vance.
Vance was praising Moody when a man in the crowd began heckling him.
"She wants…" Vance said as the man shouted over him.
"She wants to make sure…" he tried again.
"We got a clown over here, ladies and gentlemen," Vance said as the crowd booed.
"We…" Vance started, before the man shouted again and the audience jeered.
"You know, you always have to laugh at these protesters, because that guy, you know, he pretends like he just broke out into an emotional protest, but he made sure to bring his cell phone at the end of a pole," Vance told the crowd.
"This is not a representative voter from the state of Florida. That guy is a Democrat plant who wants… he wants to raise your taxes and release illegal aliens on the streets of Florida," the frustrated vice president continued. "Well, we kicked him out just like we're gonna kick out the rest of the Democrats who wanna do the exact same thing!"
Vance had moved on to Donalds and his push to help Florida homeowners when a woman began shouting.
"Byron Donalds…" Vance said. "Byron Donalds is fighting to protect…"
The vice president increased his tempo as he struggled to finish the sentence.
"...Florida parents every single day," Vance said quickly.
"USA! USA!" the crowd chanted over the boos as Live Now from Fox cut away from the speech.
"And there you have it, another protester being led out of this rally right here," Live Now from Fox anchor Christina Evans told viewers. As she spoke, the network's footage showed a protester being escorted from the building.
The network soon cut back to Vance as the crowd's "USA! USA!" chant continued.
Within seconds, another woman began yelling.
"And here's the thing," Vance said. The woman kept yelling for several more seconds as boos rose again.
"Now what… What that woman is yelling is that she wants… is left-wing bureaucrats in control of your schools," Vance said, speeding up again to finish over her.
"But Byron thinks you ought to be in control of your kids' schools," Vance said as the crowd cheered and the yelling went on.