Republican JD Vance rallied Republicans and attacked both Joe Biden and Kamala Harris Monday evening in Radford.
It was one of Vance’s first solo appearances since he was nominated to be Donald Trump’s running mate. And he didn’t waste much time before attacking the new likely Democratic nominee.
"Whether it’s Kamala Harris or anybody else, it’s the same Democrat machine. It’s the same broken promises, it’s the same inflation crisis, border crisis. We don’t need any of it," Vance told the crowd at Radford University's Dedmon Center. "We need President Donald J. Trump."
Vance said he and Trump would close the southern border as well as increase American manufacturing and the production of U.S. based fossil fuels. He also said they would reduce U.S. involvement in foreign conflicts, but added that the U.S. would hit back hard if attacked.
Vance criticized the record of both Biden and Harris in addition to attacking Biden's decision to step aside from the campaign. Vance accused Harris of lying about Biden’s ability to do the job.
"Can anybody just admit that if Joe Biden is not fit to run for President, he ain’t fit to serve as President of the United States either," Vance asked as the audience applauded.
Vance argued the change in likely Democratic nominees after the primary process was already complete represented a threat to democracy. But he ignored his own running mate’s history of pressuring election officials and encouragement of a violent attack on the U.S. capitol.
Vance spoke for about 30 minutes after Virginia Republicans like Senate candidate Hung Cao, Attorney General Jason Miyares, and 9th District Congressman Morgan Griffith warmed up the crowd. Vance said they and other Republican figures would turn Virginia red "in the next decade."
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
