Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance made his first solo campaign appearance a day after the White House race was thrown into upheaval when President Joe Biden dropped out.
The Ohio senator held a rally on Monday at his former high school in Middleton, his hometown, where he played up his local ties, praised running mate Donald Trump and attacked Democratic vice president Kamala Harris, who is now backed by more than half of the delegates needed to win her party’s nomination vote, according to an Associated Press survey.
“I was told I was going to debate Kamala Harris and now President Trump’s going to get to debate her,” Mr Vance said to laughs.
“I’m kind of pissed off about that, if I’m being honest with you.”
.@JDVance1: I said at the RNC Convention that I will never forget where I came from.
I came from Middletown, Ohio.
I am proud of it, and I will never forget where I came from! pic.twitter.com/f7h4WebwDLAdvertisement— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) July 22, 2024
Mr Vance tried to deflect the criticism that Mr Trump, who has refused to accept his 2020 loss to Mr Biden and tried to overturn the results, is a threat to democracy.
The senator claimed that the real threat came from the push by “elite Democrats” who “decided to throw Joe Biden overboard” and then have the party line up behind a replacement without primary contests.
Mr Vance also seemed to question Ms Harris’ patriotism, saying that when she gives a speech, “she talks about the history of this country not with appreciation but with condemnation”.
He added: “Not everything’s perfect. It’s never going to be. But you, if you want to lead this country, you should feel grateful for it. You should feel a sense of gratitude. And I never hear that gratitude come through when I listen to Kamala Harris.”
Joe Biden has been the worst President in my lifetime and Kamala Harris has been right there with him every step of the way. Over the last four years she co-signed Biden's open border and green scam policies that drove up the cost of housing and groceries. She owns all of these…
— JD Vance (@JDVance1) July 21, 2024
Mr Vance gave no examples to support his assessment.
The attack line against Ms Harris was reminiscent of criticism of former first lady Michelle Obama, who said during husband Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential primary bid that it was the first time she felt really proud of her country.
Conservatives seized on the comment to portray her as unpatriotic. She said the comment was taken out of context, and that she was talking about election results, not of the country itself.
The applause for Mr Vance from a crowd of about 900 was more muted than at the raucous rallies that Mr Trump typically holds, through the senator drew a strong response when he endorsed Mr Trump’s “America First” policies.
