- The Problem Vice
J.D. Vance uses dramatic language. A future under Kamala Harris would be "hell," the Republican vice-presidential candidate declares from a stage in the U.S. state of Nevada. Harris' record so far is a "disaster," and the fact that she is now running for president instead of Joe Biden is nothing short of a "coup." That's his job: Donald Trump has brought Vance on board as a man for hard attacks on political opponents - and also as a link to the working class. But since his nomination as Trump's vice, the Republican is providing surprisingly much attack surface.
The Attack on Childless People
Vance is currently facing backlash for various past statements. The current peak: sexist remarks about childless people. The father of three had, in 2021, referred to leading Democratic politicians, including Vice President Kamala Harris, who is now running for the White House herself, as "childless cat ladies" who are unhappy with their lives. The clip from back then resurfaced after his rise to Trump's vice, spread rapidly, and drew much criticism.
It wasn't Vance's only statement in this direction. He has expressed his view that childless people should have less say in a democracy, even claiming that people without children tend to be "disturbed" and "psychotic." His latest attempt to defend these comments did not end the debate. Many women, a crucial voter group where Trump has recently lost support, do not take kindly to criticism of childlessness. Men without children might also not appreciate such jabs.
The Joke
Otherwise, things have not been going well for the senator from the state of Ohio in his first weeks as Trump's vice since mid-July. He's struggling with poor poll numbers and the fact that many Americans have never heard of him. Recently, a crude joke about Vance gained traction on social media, making it into national headlines despite lacking substance. The internet can be merciless.
Trump, who loves to provoke, might not mind his vice making headlines with controversial statements. But alienating key voter groups is not in Trump's interest. And if the man by his side becomes a public laughing stock, Trump would likely disapprove. The Republican presidential candidate is already facing questions about his satisfaction with his vice choice and has felt compelled to publicly defend his partner over the childless comments: Vance loves families.
The Lack of Experience
Trump settled on Vance before his Democratic opponent Joe Biden dropped out of the presidential race. Vance is half Trump's age (78) - and in a campaign initially focused on Biden's advanced age and mental decline, a young vice seemed useful as a sign of dynamism and agility. But now Biden is out of the race - and Vance's "youth" is becoming more of a problem.
The Republican has only been in the Senate since January 2023. He has no government experience or extensive political background. Harris' campaign is systematically exploiting this. Mitch Landrieu, from Harris' campaign leadership, says Vance is "one of the least prepared" candidates for the vice presidency the country has ever seen. "He hasn't even run a company. He's never led anything." And now, Vance might suddenly have to lead the U.S. if Trump wins and something happens to him, Landrieu warns.
Trump had used this argument against Harris in recent months: that Biden could collapse at any moment and she would have to take over. However, the 59-year-old has far more experience than Vance: she was district attorney of San Francisco, later served six years as attorney general of California, and then four years as a senator in the U.S. Congress before becoming the first woman vice president.
Another issue: Trump explicitly chose Vance to secure worker-class votes in particularly competitive states like Wisconsin, Michigan, or Pennsylvania. Vance comes from a working-class family, grew up in Ohio in unstable conditions, and was raised by his grandmother. After graduating from high school, he joined the military and served in Iraq. His memoir "Hillbilly Elegy" about that time became a success.
However, Vance later took a different path: he graduated from Yale Law School, worked as a venture capitalist, including in Silicon Valley, California, and eventually became a senator with the support of a tech billionaire. All of this is far removed from the reality of low-income Americans struggling to make ends meet. This is also the argument of Harris' campaign and her democratic supporters.
Vance's strange relationship with Trump doesn't help him either. In 2022, during his Senate campaign where he needed and openly courted Trump's supporters, Vance said, "We all say dumb things. And I say very publicly dumb things." Trump didn't miss the opportunity to publicly display his party colleague's change of heart. At a joint appearance with Vance in Ohio that year, Trump said, "J.D. is kissing my ass because he wants my support so badly."
Vance's turnaround in his relationship with Trump continues to this day and doesn't look good in any direction: Democrats portray him as a spineless opportunist, while die-hard Trump supporters can accuse him of lacking conviction and not being part of the "movement" from the beginning.
Democrats are now publicly raising the question of whether Trump might switch gears and replace his running mate. While this would be logistically and technically not entirely simple, it is possible, experts say.
In response to his controversial comments about childless individuals, many women, a crucial voter group for Trump, express displeasure with J.D. Vance's criticism of childlessness. Vance, a Senator from the United States of America's state of Ohio, is currently facing backlash for his past statements.
Amidst these challenges, Vance's nomination as Trump's vice-presidential candidate raises questions about his lack of experience, with Mitch Landrieu from Harris' campaign stating that Vance is "one of the least prepared" candidates for the vice presidency the country has ever seen. Despite his lack of government experience and political background, Trump selected Vance to secure worker-class votes in crucial states like Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania.
