Former Vice President Mike Pence said this week that the upcoming midterms in November are critical to the future of the United States, stating the elections "couldn’t be more important in the life of the nation." "But I tell people, in some respects, I think Republicans have lost their way, but Democrats have lost their minds." Pence highlighted the recent surge in socialist candidates, which began with the election of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani last year. Since Mamdani's election, New York Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has also seen her star rise and socialist candidates have surged in popularity in states such as Colorado, Maine and Michigan recently. "The American people deserve a party that hews to those principles of a strong defense, limited government, traditional moral values.