Ohio Sen. JD Vance was once well known as the author of “Hillbilly Elegy” and when he became former President Donald Trump’s VP pick this year that shifted to slights against cat ladies and rumors about eyeliner.
This week during the vice-presidential debate, the military veteran and Yale graduate rolled out a new “JD Vance 2.0” version of himself, as noted in a report by USA Today. According to the outlet, he “presented himself as a candidate willing to work across the aisle,” and focused on softening the GOP’s stance on abortion.
“I stand here asking to be your vice president with extraordinary gratitude for this country, for the American Dream that made it possible for me to live my dreams,” he said.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Vice President Kamala Harris’ VP pick, is known for his “Midwest nice” image, and together the Democratic ticket has been selling “joyful” vibes this election season. That move threw some of the Trump/Vance campaigning up to that point into harsh light.
Of course, Trump is known for his fondness for insults and taunting nicknames, such as “Comrade Kamala” and “Sleepy Joe” for President Joe Biden. Vance has also made headlines for comments people found offensive, including his comments that “childless cat ladies” don’t have a “direct stake in America’s future.”
That’s not the only comment Vance has made that could be considered misogynist, The Advocate reported. He also came under fire for fueling rumors about Haitian immigrants eating pets that Trump referenced during his debate with Harris.
He’s also slammed the Biden-Harris administration as “disgraceful” for pulling out of Afghanistan, and that Harris is “the biggest threat to religious liberty” in the U.S. Walz has also had a sassy moment in the spotlight – before Harris picked him as her running mate, he went viral for calling Republicans “weird” in a TV interview.
However, both men were respectful and cordial during the debate. After it was over, Americans were feeling warmer towards both of them, according to Forbes. Citing post-debate polling from CBS News and YouGov among 1,630 likely voters who watched the debate, it said Walz’s favorability increased from 52% to 60% and Vance’s increased from 40% to 49%. FiveThityEight polling averages updated Thursday showed Walz’s favorability at around 40% and Vance’s was at around 35%.
Walz still has a higher favorability rating and when asked in a recent poll, Americans said they would prefer him to be president compared to Vance, if they had to pick between the two VP candidates. in a recent poll. Yet, slightly more people thought that Vance won the debate, polls show.
“Vance appealed to voters through his biography, advocating for bipartisanship and limiting personal attacks against Walz,” said USA Today.
He highlighted his roots in working class America how he went to college on the GI Bill, and showed empathy for his opponent. When Walz revealed that his son, Gus, had witnessed a shooting at a community center, Vance shook his head.
“Tim, first of all, I didn't know that your 17-year-old witnessed a shooting,” he said. “I'm sorry about that. Christ have mercy. It is awful.”
Vance also admitted that Republicans have lost America’s trust regarding abortion. In 2022, the conservative-leaning Supreme Court made the unpopular decision to reverse decades of protections on reproductive rights established by Roe V. Wade. Although Trump has praised the ruling, Vance said the former president would veto any federal bans on abortion if he is elected again, and Melania Trump said this week that it is “imperative” that women have the right to choose.
With only about a month to go until the November election, its unclear if “Vance 2.0” will move the needle for Trump’s campaign. Since Harris replaced Biden at the top of the ticket this summer, Trump has been lagging behind the vice president at the polls and in election forecasts. Still, it looks like the race is a close one, so even small shifts may be important.