Vance targets 2028 with populist message

Vice President JD Vance is testing a potential 2028 presidential pitch during his current midterm campaign tour. He has spent the past several weeks speaking in multiple states to support Republican candidates. His recent speeches offer a preview of the message he might use in a full presidential bid next year.

The tour includes stops in Texas, South Carolina, Michigan, Montana, North Carolina, and Ohio. Vance spoke in Weatherford, Texas, on Thursday. That same afternoon, President Donald Trump held a rally in Rock Hill, South Carolina. The vice president also addressed crowds in Howell, Michigan, and Cincinnati, Ohio. He spoke to a group in North Carolina earlier in the week. These events form part of the party's push ahead of the November elections.

Vance blends economic nostalgia with cultural criticism in his remarks. In Michigan, he described his childhood football teams as sponsored by local small businesses. He noted that many of those businesses no longer exist. He blamed politicians in faraway places who did not care about Ohio or Michigan. In North Carolina, he recalled the unity Americans felt after September 11, 2001. He also described racial harmony on the football field, saying children of working-class black and white families played together without worrying about privilege.

The vice president uses direct quotes to connect with audiences. In Texas, he mocked Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico for grappling with his masculinity and whiteness. Vance told the crowd there was not much to grapple with. He also told the Texas audience he was sweating his balls off at the podium. In Montana, he compared current gas prices to spikes in 1979, 2001, 2007, and 2022. He attributed high fuel costs to geopolitical tantrums by tin pot dictators. In Cincinnati, he mentioned working as a cashier at Dhillon Foods, a store located 20 miles from the venue. He added that many family members benefited from federal food benefit programs.

Vance serves as the head of the president's anti-fraud task force. The group aims to find malfeasance in social safety net programs. He uses this role to share personal stories about economic difficulty. He also speaks about his military service, a topic that distinguishes him from the president. His memoir about growing up in poor, rural southern Ohio provides the foundation for these narratives.

The vice president faces a specific challenge in his current role. He must promote Republican candidates while the sitting president is unpopular. He avoids mentioning the Iran War in his stump speeches, even though it drove up gas and diesel prices. He frames high fuel costs as a recurring geopolitical issue rather than a result of current policy. He also cites consolidation among meatpackers as the cause of high beef prices. This approach allows him to acknowledge economic woes while sidestepping blame for the president's own policies.