A tale of two VPs: Comparing JD Vance and Tim Walz’s visits to the Triad

JD Vance

Bio:

• Age: 40 (born Aug. 2, 1984)
• From: Middleton, OH
• Claim to fame: Memoir Hillbilly Elegy, senator from Ohio
• Political leaning: Conservative
• Background: Grew up poor, enlisted in the US Marine Corp, attended Ohio State University using the GI Bill, graduated from Yale Law School. Worked as a venture capitalist post graduate school. Formerly called Trump a “moral disaster” and possibly “America’s Hitler.” Was formerly close friends with a transgender writer and activist. Is married to Usha Vance and has two kids.

Event details:

• When: Oct. 10
• Where: Koury Convention Center in Greensboro
• What: Town hall with Danica Patrick
• Audience: Roughly 1,000 people

What did he talk about?

• Hurricane response: During the event, which lasted about an hour, Vance talked about the disastrous effects of Hurricane Helene in NC and how the Biden administration had “failed” the state. He called the response “disastrous” and promised to overhaul the federal aid process if elected into office.
• Immigration: Another big theme throughout the night was the topic of immigration. Vance repeated claims that “millions and millions” of illegal immigrants are in the United States. According to data by the Pew Research center, there are about 11 million undocumented immigrants currently living in the country. That is a drop from a record high of 12 million in 2007 when George W. Bush was president. Vance also repeated the misinterpreted claim that more than 13,000 murderers have been let into the country under the Biden administration. However, the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement have pushed back against the claim, stating that the number refers to the fact that there are approximately 13,000 non-citizens convicted of homicide and not currently in custody but that it is a culmination of decades of data. 
• “The data in this letter is being misinterpreted,” the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement released Sept. 29. “The data goes back decades; it includes individuals who entered the country over the past 40 years or more, the vast majority of whose custody determination was made long before this administration. It also includes many who are under the jurisdiction or currently incarcerated by federal, state or local law enforcement partners.” Data released by Customs and Border Patrol shows that only 189 convictions for homicide by undocumented people have occurred since 2017.
• Economics: Vance also made the argument that the reason why the cost of goods is more expensive is due to the fact that gas is more expensive. He reasoned that because gas is more expensive, truck drivers have to pay more for “energy,” thus driving up their pay, thus driving up the cost of goods they deliver. And while experts back up Vance’s argument, data also shows that the Biden-Harris administration has produced more oil than any time during former President Trump’s term in office.
• Social Security: Vance repeated claims that funds for Social Security are being taken by undocumented immigrants. But benefits like Social Security and Medicare are only available to those who live legally in the US, with Social Security numbers. On the other hand, despite not qualifying to receive those benefits, analyses have found that undocumented immigrants contributed to $33.9 billion in federal social insurance taxes in 2022 for Social Security and Medicare and unemployment insurance. And when there is fraud, officials have said that it is not a widespread issue.

What did attendees have to say?

Note: Interviewees at the Vance event did not wish to have their photo taken.

• Mike and Sue Wahl (Oak Ridge): Mike and Sue Wahl told TCB that they voted for Trump in 2016 and 2020. They plan to vote for Trump this year, too. When asked about Vance, they said they liked his book and that he seems like a “bright individual.” As far as why they’re supporting the Trump-Vance campaign, the couple said that their lives were “really good” when Trump was president, citing economic concerns, illegal immigration and crime. The two noted that they’ve always been registered Republicans but that they don’t necessarily vote a straight Republican ticket. They said they hadn’t chosen a candidate for governor yet.
• Frankie Stockes (Virginia) and Victoria Osborne (Winston-Salem): While 32-year-old Stockes told TCB that he supported Trump in 2016 and 2020, his girlfriend, Osborne, 28, said that she already voted for Harris. Stockes noted that he was drawn to Trump’s “America first” policies but is concerned that the Republican candidate may get involved in the war in the Middle East. Campaign finance data showed that a pro-Israel Super-PAC, Preserve America, has donated $100 million to Trump’s campaign. Stockes said that Trump is losing his most “hardcore” supporters and that he’s never been so unexcited to vote for him.
• Kai Han (Stokesdale): Sixty-one-year-old Kai Han, a Chinese immigrant who came to the US in 1994, said that he voted for Trump in 2016 and 2020. He noted his border policies, his advocacy for smaller government and the Second Amendment as reasons for supporting the former president. He also read a translated Chinese version of Vance’s book. When asked if Trump’s past anti-China comments bother him, Han answered that he doesn’t believe that Trump is against China. As someone who grew up in China under the Communist Party, Han said he doesn’t believe that the “socialist” policies put forward by Democrats work. “It leads to corruption and low efficiency,” he said. However, he noted that his kids, who are in their thirties, are registered Democrats. “I think that’s common,” he said.
• Toni Montgomery (Greensboro): Fifty-one-year-old Toni Montgomery said that she voted for Trump in 2016 and 2020. Her biggest concerns are securing the border and building a wall. She’s also anti-abortion and is concerned about the economy and her ability to afford things. She said she read Vance’s book and that she believes he’s a “down-to-earth guy.” She believes that the marriage of Trump as a “business guy” and Vance as a “common guy” works well for their campaign. If Harris is elected, Montgomery said she’s most concerned about safety and the economy.

Tim Walz

Bio:

• Age: 60 (born April 6, 1964)
• From: Nebraska, lives in Minnesota now
• Claim to fame: Governor of Minnesota (since 2019), former Congressman (2007-19)
• Political leaning: Progressive
• Background: Grew up in Nebraska to a stay-at-home mom and educator father. Worked on the family farm. Served in the Texas and Arkansas Army National Guard. Went to Chadron State College and taught in China. Worked as a teacher for more than a decade. Also was a high school football coach and faculty advisor for the school’s gay straight alliance club. Married and has two kids.

Event details:

• When: Oct. 17
• Where: Carver High School in Winston-Salem
• What: Campaign rally
• Audience: About 700 people

What did he talk about?

• Election results: In his opening comments, Walz doubled down on Vance’s wavering in his answer on whether or not Trump lost the 2020 election. The comments stem from the vice presidential debate in September in which Vance dodged the question and simply said that he was “focused on the future.”
• Immigration: In response to the Trump-Vance campaign’s rhetoric about undocumented immigrants, Walz pushed back stating that the two Republicans were the ones coming in and stealing people’s jobs. “Their names are JD Vance and Donald Trump,” Walz said to enthusiastic applause.
• Abortion rights: Walz also doubled down on the campaign’s unwavering support for abortion access and even denigrated Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson who is running for governor this year. “That guy is not gonna be the governor of North Carolina,” Walz said. He noted how he and his wife used fertility treatments to conceive their first child and how fighting for IVF and abortion rights are part of the same platform. “It’s a privilege because future generations will remember who was here and fighting for those rights,” Walz said. 
• Economics: Walz noted that if elected, Harris would advocate for an economy that is “fair for everyone.” He said that 100 million Americans would get tax cuts and that Harris would take on price gouging. According to the 82-page policy plan on the Harris-Walz website, the tax cuts would come in the form of child tax credits of up to $3,600. Walz also stated that Harris would pass a $50,000 tax credit for small businesses and a $6,000 tax cut for families with new children. Their plan also includes $25,000 in downpayment assistance for first-time homebuyers. 

What did attendees have to say?

• Riley Laster and Aiden Elsner: Twenty-year-olds Riley Laster and Aiden Elsner told TCB that democracy was a big concern, plus supporting the middle class. Elsner pointed to Project 2025 as a threat to democracy while Laster said that Harris represents a new kind of politician. They both also noted the importance of reproductive rights. When asked what other young voters are talking about this election cycle, both mentioned the topic of Palestine and the ongoing genocide. They said that it could be something that hurts the Harris campaign. Still, they said that voting for Harris was the right option. “A vote for anyone else is throwing away your vote,” Laster said. 

• Mark Cubberley (Greensboro): A semi-retired political consultant, Mark Cubberley, 67, told TCB that the issue he is most concerned with is “democracy.” “We need elected officials to adhere to the Constitution,” he said. “January 6 was absolutely offensive to me.” As a lifelong Democrat (“I was born that way.”), Cubberley said he hoped that Gretchen Whitmore would be the presidential nominee but that he’s happy to see how far Harris has come. He also said he likes Walz because he’s like “everybody’s high school coach.” Earlier that day, Cubberley mentioned how he stood in line for two hours to vote and that he had not seen voter turnout like that in his lifetime. “I think it’s a great sign for Harris,” he said.

• Chancy and Kaleb Williams (Summerfield): Mother and son duo Chancy, 49, and Kaleb, 17, said they, too, are concerned about democracy. For Chancy, it was about keeping Trump out of office to “save our Constitution.” For Kaleb, protecting abortion rights was top of mind. Both said they liked Walz because he seemed like a “true American” and because of his background as an educator. Chancy also noted that she’s excited to vote for a woman presidential candidate and says that the tone with which Donald Trump has been campaigning is “disgusting.” As for who they think will win? “I’m scared,” Chancy said. “I’m nervous.”

• Anne Hill (Clemmons): Sixty-three-year-old Anne Hill sat on the sidelines as she patiently waited for Walz to take the stage. As a mother and former healthcare administrator, she said she’s concerned about access to reproductive care and the cost of healthcare. When she found out that Harris was going to be the presidential nominee, Hill said she was “thrilled.” She said she likes Walz, too. As a fellow gun owner, she said she appreciates the Harris-Walz campaign’s commonsense approach to gun ownership. Like Chancy Wiliams, Hill said she’s concerned with the tone that Trump has brought to politics. “It’s tearing us apart,” she said. In terms of the outcome, Hill said she’s “hopeful.”

• Carlos Dixon (Winston-Salem): Truck driver Carlos Dixon, 51, said that he’s voting for Harris because he believes in community and equal rights. “Donald Trump is out for himself and the rich,” he said. He also said he likes Harris’ plan to help middle-class Americans when it comes to rent and price gouging. He also likes what Harris stands for, he said: “Equality.” He, too, pointed out how he dislikes how Trump talks about people, particularly women and immigrants. He’s also concerned about white supremacy. “Instead of dividing, you have to like everybody,” he said.