US Vice President JD Vance turns back to observe a situation where a person required medical attention while he was speaking at a campaign rally at the D&N Event Center in North Platte, Nebraska, US, Oct. 22, 2026. Jacquelyn Martin/Pool via REUTERS
Vice President JD Vance used a woman’s medical emergency at a rally to push for Republican votes, saying the best way to “repay her” was electing Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-NE).
The woman was eventually removed by ambulance after collapsing on the risers behind Vance as he spoke Thursday at a midterm rally in North Platte, Nebraska, video of the event showed.
Vance had come to Nebraska to help Ricketts, who faces nonpartisan candidate Dan Osborn in a close Senate race ahead of the Nov. 3 election, according to States Newsroom.
“We have a party of people who are so focused on insanity that they have forgotten how to represent the people who built the United States of America. This Democrat Party, ladies and gentlemen, it needs an a--kicking," Vance told the crowd moments before the woman collapsed.
“Looks like we got a medical issue, everybody. So let’s just say a prayer and hope everybody is OK,” Vance pointed out.
The video showed the vice president turning to find dozens of audience members surrounding the woman, who had been seated on the risers behind him.
Police arrived as the crowd murmured. Vance walked to the risers, crossed his arms, and stared for about three minutes before returning to the podium.
“While they’re — while they’re working on her, maybe those who are of the praying type would join me in a prayer,” Vance said.
He then led the crowd in the Lord’s Prayer.
After the prayer, Vance walked back to the risers. About five minutes after the emergency began, the woman appeared to be back on her feet, and Vance left the podium to join her in the crowd.
Returning to the podium to applause, Vance said, “OK, all right, let me leave you with just three — three quick things. Number one, first of all, praise be to God. She’s doing fine, she’s doing fine.”
“Now, second of all, they may want to take her out of here on an ambulance,” he continued. “And the third thing I will say is that this is apparently — she just told me — her first rally."
“And given that she had a lot of fun, but then not so much fun at the end of her first rally, the best way that we can repay her is, one, by letting her get out of here to focus on her health, and number two, by electing Pete Ricketts,” he added.