On Thursday, Senator JD Vance, a Republican from Ohio, experienced both applause and boos while speaking at a firefighter union event in Boston. Delivering his remarks at the International Association of Fire Fighters conference, Vance faced some initial heckling from the crowd after taking the stage following Representative Carlos A. Gimenez (R-Fla.), who is also a former firefighter.

Acknowledging the diverse reactions from the audience, Vance greeted the crowd with a customary "Semper fi, guys," an abbreviation for the Marine Corps motto "Semper fidelis," which means "always faithful." He addressed the mixed response by saying, "We got some - it sounds like we got some fans and some haters. That's OK. Let's listen to what I have to say here, and I'll make my pitch."

In his speech, Senator Vance commended the firefighters for their crucial service, stating, "you make a difference every single day, and I thank you for it." He assured the audience that former President Trump's campaign "will always stand with the courageous firefighters and the first responders who keep this country safe every single day."

Vance also emphasized his support for related legislation, such as co-sponsoring the Social Security Fairness Act and voting in favor of the Fire Grants and Safety Act. However, he faced another round of boos from the crowd when he asserted that the Trump-Vance ticket was the "most pro-worker Republican ticket in history."

Despite the mixed crowd reactions, the Senator received applause on various occasions. The crowd responded positively when Vance affirmed that Republicans would defend individuals' right to free speech, including speaking out against unconstitutional COVID vaccine mandates. He also received applause for acknowledging workers' rights to engage in collective bargaining and mentioning Corey Comperatore, a volunteer firefighter who lost his life during an attempted assassination against Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania.

Vance openly acknowledged his previous skepticism towards former President Trump and recognized the differing opinions within the union. He shared, "Now this may come as a shock to you, but once upon a time, I wasn't a Trump guy either, and trust me, the president never lets me forget it."

Towards the end of his speech, the Ohio senator made a solemn promise to support firefighters and first responders, stating, "whether you support us or not, President Trump, and I believe in our firefighters, we believe in our first responders, and we will never stop fighting for you."

The Trump campaign and several Republicans applauded Vance for campaigning in Boston, a traditionally Democratic stronghold. Governor Tim Walz also campaigned in front of the same conference the previous day, signaling an effort by Republicans to connect with firefighters and first responders.

While Senator Vance faced both boos and applause during his speech at the firefighter union event in Boston, he remained determined to advocate for the rights and interests of firefighters and first responders, irrespective of political affiliations.