Vance tests 2028 tone in Texas, sidestepping Trump's unpopular policies
The vice president used a Thursday speech to mock a Democratic rival and frame high fuel costs as inevitable, a strategy that hints at his future presidential pitch.
By Larissa Shah ·
Vice President JD Vance told a crowd in Weatherford, Texas, on Thursday that his Democratic rival in the Senate race has very little to worry about regarding his masculinity. Vance said James Talarico claimed he had to grapple with his masculinity in addition to his whiteness. Vance added, to applause, that the good news is there ain't a whole lot to grapple with. The speech occurred the same day President Donald Trump spoke in Rock Hill, South Carolina, as part of a series of rallies ahead of the midterm elections.
Vance's delivery differed from the president's style. He spoke more like a practiced politician than a comedian, yet his remarks contained familiar elements of the MAGA movement. These included insults directed at a candidate's masculinity and promises to restore American greatness. This approach offers a preview of how Vance might present himself when 2028 campaigns begin in earnest next year.
In his speeches, Vance describes a version of America from his youth that felt more unified. In North Carolina this week, he invoked the sense of pride and fellowship Americans felt after September 11, 2001. He also frequently mentions his childhood football teams, which were sponsored by local small businesses. Speaking in Howell, Michigan, Vance noted that many of those businesses no longer exist. He called them casualties of distant politicians who did not care about Michigan or Ohio, leaving ordinary people to pay the consequences.
This narrative frames Washington elites as the source of corruption in a traditionally harmonious society. Vance argues his populist politics can reverse this trend. He leans heavily into culture war themes, describing how children of working-class Black and white families played football together without worrying about skin color or privilege. This presentation packages the anti-woke message in a more traditional and eloquent format, though he has also experimented with crasser language, including telling the Texas crowd he was sweating profusely at the podium.
Vance faces the challenge of promoting Republican candidates while serving an unpopular president. This difficulty is sharpest in areas where presidential policies have caused economic strain. Vance avoids mentioning the Iran War, which drove up gas and diesel prices, in his stump speeches. Instead, he frames high fuel costs as a recurring result of global politics. Speaking to a crowd in Montana, he pointed out that gas prices skyrocketed in 2022 when Russia invaded Ukraine, as well as in 1979, 2001, and 2007. He stated that prices surge every time a dictator throws a tantrum.
Vance has also addressed the high price of beef by blaming consolidation among meatpackers, while avoiding the issue of Trump policies angering beef producers. His public appearances this year have included his role leading the president's anti-fraud task force. This position allows him to cite his personal history, such as working as a cashier at Dhillon Foods in Cincinnati and using federal food benefit programs with his family. This biography provides political tools that Trump lacks, allowing Vance to speak personally about military service and economic hardship.
