Republican Vice Presidential Candidate JD Vance Visits South Philly in First Pennsylvania Campaign Stop

Senator J.D. Vance of Ohio made his first campaign stop in Pennsylvania since being named former President Donald Trump’s vice presidential candidate. Vance’s visit was overshadowed by recent reports that his Democratic counterpart in the 2024 presidential race is is Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.

In his speech, Vance criticized presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris and her record as U.S. vice president, particularly on issues of immigration and border control.

“Kamala Harris has been such a terrible vice president of this country that wherever she goes, there is chaos and uncertainty,” he said.

Vance’s meeting took place shortly after noon at 7:00 p.m. 2300 Arena in South Philadelphiaand gathered over 200 supporters.

“I think Vance was a great choice,” said Kate Collins, chairwoman of the Downingtown Republican Committee. “He is the definition of the American dream. If you work hard, you can do anything, including maybe be president someday.”

Vance began his speech by emphasizing the need to strengthen the border and what he called the failures of the Biden-Harris administration.

“We know that every time Kamala Harris has taken action to open America’s southern border, it has been families like those standing behind me today who have suffered the most,” he said.

Vance took the stage with city residents affected by issues such as the opioid crisis and crime, including Geraldine Briggs of Philadelphia.

“Democrats say they’ve cleaned up the streets, but it hasn’t worked,” said Briggs, whose brother struggles with opioid addiction. “The border crisis has led to an influx of drugs across the border and has affected families like mine across the city.”

Vance shared part of his personal story in a 2016 book. Elegy for the Peasantsabout how his mother’s struggle with opioid addiction affected him while he was growing up in Middletown, Ohio. The book was later adapted into a feature film.

“It’s my mom’s favorite book, one of her favorite movies,” said Jaden Gdowick, a senior at Temple University and South Philly resident. “I grew up without a father. We don’t have a lot of money these days. So the fact that Trump chose him as his running mate really touched me.”

Vance’s compact campaign was fraught with difficulties, including: comments comparing prominent Democrats to “childless cat women” meeting with criticism.

In response to a reporter’s question about the comment, someone in the crowd shouted, “That cat lady loves you!” Vance replied, “I love you too, ma’am,” and defended his remarks.

“What I said is very simple, I think American families are good and government policy should be more family-friendly,” he said. “Now, if the media wants to take offense at a sarcastic remark that I made before I even ran for the United States Senate, the media has a right to take offense. You know what offends me? It offends me that normal Americans can’t afford the prices of groceries.”

Jim Worthington, chairman of the state’s GOP delegation to the Republican National Convention, said the campaign event was a chance for voters to really get to know Vance.

“The more people see him, the more they’ll love him,” Worthington said. “Unfortunately, the Democrats and the media have tried to paint him as this weird person. I mean, he’s an all-American guy with an all-American story, so they’ll love him.”

Heather Cabuano, a 44-year-old from South Philadelphia, said voters should focus less on the comments made by Vance and Trump and instead look at their policies.

“Well, OK, so Trump called a woman something. I am a woman. I am not offended,” she said. “People say things all the time. It’s about who is going to run the country and who is going to do a good job of running it.”

Vance’s appearance in Philadelphia comes before Harris’ gathering at Temple University’s Liacouras Center — her first with her. fresh vice president candidate.

Before the doors opened for Vance’s rally, news broke that Walz had been Harris’s choice for vice president. She also considered Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona.

Worthington called selecting Walz over Shapiro “Christmas in August.”

“Thank you, Kamala Harris, for shunning Josh Shapiro, a guy who would be more moderate, represents a Jewish constituency in our country, and for showing that she really doesn’t care about the fate of Jews and their plight,” he said. “That will certainly make our job in Pennsylvania easier when I have to talk to Jews about why they should vote for Trump and Vance and not Harris.”

Worthington said that in Bucks County, which recently republican voter registration majority flipped – and next.

“Bucks County and the Southeast will decide who will be the next president of the United States, and now with her election this morning … she has made it even clearer that this will be a matter of life or death in Pennsylvania.”

Trump recently be criticized for questioning Harris’ race during a panel discussion at the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) convention in Chicago last week.

Walz campaigned on the campaign trail supporting Harris and was among the politicians who called Trump, Vance and other Republicans “weird.”

Vance rally attendees objected to that characterization. “They want to call J.D. Vance a weirdo?” said Cathy Collins. “Have they looked at what’s in the White House cabinet?”

Vance said Walz is “one of the most left-wing radicals in the entire United States government.”

“I think the election of Tim Walz is a sign that Kamala Harris has bent the knee to the far left of her party, which she always does,” he said.