(The Center Square) – Trump supporters in Michigan expressed varied but mostly positive opinions about his vice-presidential pick from Ohio, U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance, during street interviews with The Center Square.
At the Saturday Trump rally in Grand Rapids, the first featuring Vance, many people interviewed knew little about him, but those who did expressed positive opinions.
Katie from Grand Rapids, who works in finance and declined to give her last name, said she thinks Vance is a great pick, especially because of his youth.
“I like him a lot. I think it was a very wise choice in him being a millennial – I’m a millennial myself – so I think that was a really smart choice to bridge that [age] gap,” she said. “It’ll be refreshing, I think, a new perspective. The average American can appreciate that.”
Ben Abraham, a dye and printing industry worker from Grand Rapids, says he doesn’t know a lot about Vance, but has heard good things from other people.
“I don’t know much about him; I’ve heard really great things. All my conservative friends have really good things to say about him,” he said. “And he’s down to earth, very humble beginnings obviously, and I think just different.”
Brian, a health care worker from Grand Rapids who declined to give his last name, said he at first didn’t know much about Vance and was surprised at the choice, but after doing some research felt confident about Trump’s pick.
“I think with his accomplishments, and his youth, I think that’s a big thing. You know, you’ve got a lot of people complaining about the septuagenarian, octogenarians running the country, and it’s like ‘ok, we need someone who’s going to have a little bit more vigor.’ And I agree with that point,” he said. “So with his accomplishments, and once he’s groomed a little bit, I think that could be the future afterwards, that he could be the next Republican candidate going forward. So I’m happy with it, from what little I know.”
As a junior senator, Vance has often worked with Democrats like U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown on bipartisan legislation, including working to improve railroad safety standards after the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio.
Amber Gobel, a hospice nurse from Grand Rapids, expressed more doubts about Vance, whom she’d never heard of before Trump nominated him.
“I don’t know, I just hope that he’s the right pick. I don’t know what to say about him,” she said.
Santiago, a truck driver from northwest Indiana who declined to give his last name, said he doesn’t know Vance too well, “but he’s gotta be better than Harris, right?”
A day after the rally, Biden announced on social media he is dropping out of the presidential race. He endorsed Harris for the Democrat’s 2024 presidential nominee.
Dennis Hart, a retired media worker of 40 years from Grand Rapids, cited the vice presidential pick’s early background – written about in Vance’s book “Hillbilly Elegy” – as a positive factor.
“I like J.D. Vance a lot. I read his book and watched his movie, and I think he’s got quite a story,” Hart said, adding that he could see Vance running for president in the future.
Vicki Morly, a retired teacher from the Philippines now living in Michigan, said she’s very impressed with Vance’s background as well, even though he’s served little time in politics.
“He’s the new kid on the block, yes. I mean, very intelligent and very grounded, very grounded to the American life,” she said. “He’s the future of the party, and we need his ideas.”
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