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Healthcare and related issues might not have been a major focus of Monday night's proceedings at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, but they were definitely sprinkled in throughout the evening.

"For far too long, the establishment in Washington has sold us out," said Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.). "They promised normalcy and gave us Transgender Visibility Day on Easter Sunday." (Transgender Visibility Day, which began in 2009, is observed on the same date -- March 31 -- every year, whereas the date on which Easter falls varies every year.) Warming to the topic, she added to loud applause, "Let me state this clearly; there are only two genders and we're made in God's image."

"Democrats allowed millions of illegal aliens to pour in, driving up costs of housing and healthcare," she continued. "The Democrats' economy is of, by, and for illegal aliens." Greene added that "Open borders unleashed the worst drug crisis in American history. The Democrats spent over $175 billion to secure Ukraine's borders, but they tell us a border wall is too expensive."

Greene was not the only speaker who referenced the transgender issue. "Now it's like our kids are getting a degree in pronoun studies: he, she, they, them," said Linda Fornos, a Nicaraguan immigrant and mother.

Drug addiction was a concern for Sara Workman, a single mom from Arizona. "Open border policies shattered my family," she said. "With drugs so readily available, my husband fell victim to the drug epidemic. It tore my family apart and now I raise my son alone. But I know there is hope" with former President Trump, she said.

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R) touted her state's actions during the COVID pandemic. "Most of you probably first heard about me during COVID," she told the crowd. "South Dakota was the only state in the country that stayed open for business. We didn't mandate anything. We never ordered a single business or church to close. I never even defined what an 'essential' business was, because I don't believe that government has the authority to tell you that your business is essential."

"Other states were pushing mandates and lockdowns; instead, we hit the gas," she said. As a result, she continued, "Our economy took off." South Dakota had the nation's in 2020 but through 2023.

Today, "in South Dakota we have the highest birthrate in the nation," she continued. "People are having babies because they're happy. And in South Dakota, we love babies." This seemed to be a reference to the state's anti-abortion law; South Dakota bans all abortion except to save the life of the mother.

In addition, "Our mental health challenges have gone down," Noem said. "Our suicide rates are declining, and we're the number one state in the country for a decline in overdoses, because people have hope."

Several speakers made references to President Biden's mental state. "His weakness is costing us our opportunity, our prosperity, our security, our safety --  each diminished, all in decline, just like the man in the Oval Office," said Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.). She added, "It doesn't have to be this way."

Trump did not speak on Monday night, although he did appear in the stands toward the end of the evening sporting a large square white bandage covering his right ear, which was injured during an assassination attempt on Saturday when Trump was speaking at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

Trump was accompanied by Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), who Trump earlier in the day. Vance has previously said he objects to exceptions to abortion bans in cases of rape or incest, ; however, he also said he agreed with Trump's position in favor of allowing the medication abortion drug mifepristone to remain on the market. He has criticized vaccine and masking requirements implemented during the COVID pandemic, and introduced legislation to ban mask mandates. Vance is scheduled to speak to convention delegates on Wednesday night.

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