MILWAUKEE — Republican candidates view Sen. J.D. Vance’s (R-OH) presence at the top of the ticket as not only an asset for the presidential election but also a way to ensure those further down the ballot can win their competitive races.
Much of Vance’s appeal is his humble upbringing and ability to relate to everyday voters, particularly those in the Rust Belt such as his home state of Ohio . That background, along with being the first millennial to be placed on a presidential ticket, has convinced Republicans the White House is theirs for the taking — and that his momentum could trickle down to boost Republicans in other races.
“I'm sure it's going to help because J.D. brings a youthful and relatable perspective, and he comes from extremely humble beginnings,” Sam Brown, who is running in the toss-up Nevada Senate race, told the Washington Examiner. “He knows what hard work is. He's a husband and a father with young children and there's a lot of Americans out there who are in similar positions that are concerned about, ‘What is my future look like?’"
“So I think someone like J.D. is unique in his ability to be relatable to so many people,” Brown added.
Vance himself is no stranger to running in a battleground state. In fact, Vance managed to defeat Tim Ryan for his Ohio Senate seat in 2022 — an experience Republicans say he can use to help campaign for those locked in their own tight races.
“Well first, having President Trump is extremely important. And then secondarily, of course, J.D. does a double whammy,” said Bernie Moreno, who is running a Senate race in Ohio this year.
Delegates in those competitive states have also celebrated Trump’s choice in Vance, noting it will help Republicans win in states that were crucial to President Joe Biden’s victory in 2020.
“It's really going to help key swing states like Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin,” said Mike McMullen, a GOP delegate from Pennsylvania. “The Trump-Vance ticket is really going to help win back Congress.”
Other delegates have pointed to Vance’s upbringing in the Rust Belt as key to winning over voters in rural areas as his background “strongly resonates with those states needed to win his presidency.”
“Sen. Vance is an excellent choice for VP as he has [a] background that resonates strongly with those states needed to win the presidency,” said Bill Schuette, a Michigan state lawmaker and delegate to the Republican National Convention. “Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin are all states that have felt left behind by coastal elites and have been hammered by Biden’s border crisis and the opioid epidemic. A Trump-Vance ticket is one that resonates to those states and communicates a path to a brighter future.”
Even those in states that are not considered to be overly competitive consider Vance to be an advantage that could help Republicans win big in states that are historically Democratic strongholds.
House Republicans in New York have expressed confidence in Trump and Vance’s chance to flip the Empire State red in November, which would be a feat considering a Republican has not won the state since 1984. However, Republicans have pointed to a number of House districts they managed to flip in the 2022 midterm elections that could signal momentum for GOP candidates.
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“He said many of the things that I say about the communities I represent,” Rep. Marc Molinaro (R-NY), who flipped a key House district in 2022, told the Washington Examiner of Vance's convention speech. “So, you really do have a path to sort of widening the tent … I think we stand a really strong chance of actually expanding our base in New York, not contracting.”
The Trump-Vance ticket was solidified during the RNC this week, with both candidates accepting their nominations in speeches earlier this week. The pair will host their first joint campaign rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on Saturday.
Marisa Schultz contributed to this report.
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