Republicans believe former President Donald Trump made the right choice in selecting Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance as his running mate as the election enters the fourth quarter.
Vance has spent the last few weeks of August campaigning, battling a hostile media and contrasting himself with Vice President Kamala Harris, who has dodged the press. But before that, he was battling an onslaught of Democrats who labeled him a “wacko” for comments he'd made in the past.
Republicans and campaign officials in conversations with The Daily Caller expressed satisfaction with Vance's performance.
“J.D. Vance is doing what a vice presidential candidate should do, which is to make an earned media case so that the political establishment is saying, 'Where's Waltz?' instead of, 'Where's Wally?' He's not making the kind of media case that you'd expect from a vice presidential candidate,” Republican strategist Mark R. Weaver told The Daily Caller.
Democrats unearthed the Fox News comments after Trump selected Vance as his running mate. Interview And July 2021 speech Vance spoke about “childless cat women” and women who don't have children. He was asked a lot of questions about the comments, including in interviews with NBC and CNN.
The Democratic Party responded by Exposed CNN senior data reporter Harry Enten said the attacks, which have branded Vance a “nutcase,” are making the vice presidential candidate less popular.
Amid his shaky start, Trump downplayed the importance of the vice president, a comment that critics and social media users saw as a sign that he was not happy with his selection.
“Of course. I wouldn't have chosen him as my nominee if I didn't believe he could handle the presidency in a time of crisis,” Trump said. It has begun.
“Historically, the vice president has no influence on elections,” he continued. “No influence, virtually none.”
Reporter: How are you preparing for the debate with Tim Walz?
Vance: “I have a friend who loves to exaggerate and lie. I'm going to get him to represent Tim Waltz.”pic.twitter.com/dTCBP13uqh— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) August 20, 2024
But after battling a hostile media, Senator Vance has made his case, Shermichael Singleton told The Daily Caller.
“People forget, but J.D. Vance was just recently elected to the U.S. Senate. He doesn't have multi-term political experience. And I don't say this negatively. A lot of people are saying he's floundering here, he should be doing this, he's not doing that, or some of the comments. You have to give somebody a chance to get comfortable with this,” Singleton, the Republican strategist, told the Caller.
But it didn't take long for Vance to pivot, using questions about his own past comments to attack Harris.
“You're now asking three questions about statements I made three years ago,” Vance said. “I'm interested to know what Kamala Harris thinks about her support for an open southern border policy and whether she thinks Joe Biden is mentally fit for the office of the presidency.”
“I'm interviewing you,” Bash responded, “not Kamala Harris.”
“Dana, the reason you're interviewing me is because I respect the American people,” Vance said, jokingly. “Kamala Harris has been the nominee for three weeks now, and she has yet to give a proper interview.”
“I always expected that he would eventually get in the zone, and it seems like he's found his footing and is feeling more confident and secure. I'd like to see more of him being vocal on issues. I think that's powerful,” Singleton told the Caller.
A week earlier, Vance had charmed Republicans after Senator Harris arrived in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, on Air Force Two, where he walked down the tarmac to the vice presidential plane and spoke to the reporters that Senator Harris had ignored just minutes earlier.
Vance used the opportunity to emphasize that Harris has yet to sit down and give an interview, hold a press conference or meaningfully interact with reporters.
After walking up to Harris' plane, Vance said, “Hopefully in a few months this will be mine. And I thought you might be feeling lonely because the vice president isn't answering reporters' questions.” pic.twitter.com/x2Mgnf5YLH
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) August 7, 2024
“J.D. Vance is fearless and has a clear advantage in dealing with the media because when the media goes on the offensive, he's able to shoot down the attacks,” Tim Murtaugh, a senior adviser to the Trump campaign, told the Caller. “He's a huge asset to the campaign and to President Trump. That's why Democrats have tried to hurt him with outrageous lies and failed, because he's so effective.”
Campaign officials told the Caller that Vance stands in stark contrast to Gov. Tim Walz, Harris's pick for vice presidential running mate.
Since joining Harris as the Democratic candidate, Walz has been found to have lied about several things, including about his military record. (Related: Tim Waltz claims he started his family thanks to IVF, but his wife underwent other fertility treatments)
Walz's military background came to light after the Harris campaign unearthed a video from 2018 in which the governor promoted gun control and said that “the weapons of war that I carried in the war” should only be used in combat. Social media users were quick to point out that Walz's comments were problematic: He has never seen war.
Veterans who served in Waltz's unit previously Accused In 2018, after his Iraq deployment was revealed, Walz falsely claimed he had left the National Guard to run for Congress. Vance used this lie to attack Walz before facing him off in a debate, questioning why Americans should trust a man who lied about his military record. (Related story: Trump insiders say attack on Waltz's lies about service is just beginning)
Walz has also recently been the subject of a congressional investigation into his ties to China, with House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer writing to FBI Director Christopher Wray demanding all documents relating to Chinese entities the governor may have had contact with during his dozens of visits to China. (Related: 'We need answers': China watchers sound alarm over Waltz's cozy ties with Beijing)
“J.D. Vance has proven to be a tremendous asset to President Trump's campaign.” “It's a very difficult situation,” Caroline Leavitt, Trump's national press secretary, told the Caller.
““JD is an honest, empathetic person who is not afraid to debate the issues, as evidenced by his frequent interviews with hostile media outlets. Tampon Tim Walz, on the other hand, is a radical liberal with little credibility who has become a huge liability for the Harris campaign as more and more of his egregious lies come to light,” she continued.
'I hope she goes to hell!': JD Vance slams Kamala Harris for attacking President Trump's attendance at fallen Marine ceremony pic.twitter.com/WRa1BQlsNd
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) August 28, 2024
Other sarcastic comments from Vance have also attracted attention in recent weeks as Harris and Walz have been repeatedly pressed to speak to the media and answer questions about policy.
At a recent rally, an audience member asked the vice presidential nominee where the teleprompter was.
“Ma'am, I don't need a teleprompter. I have thoughts in my head, not like Kamala Harris,” Vance replied.
Roast alert 🚨
Audience: “Where's the teleprompter?”
J.D. Vance: “Ma'am, I don't need a teleprompter. Unlike Kamala Harris, I have ideas in my head.” pic.twitter.com/uPlUBpHI9d
— DC Shorts (@theDCshorts) August 28, 2024
Vance renewed his criticism of Harris after the liberal media criticized a wreath-laying ceremony honoring 13 soldiers killed in the Biden administration's withdrawal from Afghanistan as a political event. Though Harris and President Joe Biden both issued statements honoring fallen soldiers, neither scheduled a public event to honor Gold Star families. (RELATED: Exclusive: Gold Star Families Struggled to Get Trump to Arlington Until House Speaker Intervened)
“Kamala Harris is a disgrace,” Vance said of Harris' lack of recognition for the families. “We're trying to tell a story about 13 brave, innocent Americans who lost their lives. Kamala Harris fell asleep at the wheel, didn't even investigate what happened, and now she wants to yell at Donald Trump because he showed up. She can go to hell.”
With two months to go until Election Day, Republicans see Vance as a perfect campaign match for Trump.
“Senator Vance is a natural complement to President Trump, and his story of the American Dream resonates with Rust Belt voters who feel left behind by the Biden-Harris administration,” Trump surrogate Harrison Fields told the Caller.
