By james art GOP vice presidential candidate JD Vance spent about 50 minutes trashing Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris Wednesday in Reno, using statistics and tried-and-true humor.
A crowd of about 700 filled the showroom at the Silver Legacy Casino.
“She goes around the country saying things like, ‘On day one, we’re going to address the affordability crisis for our families,’ and ‘On day one, we’re going to secure the southern border,'” Vance said to jeers from supporters who knew where he was going.
“I think all of us with a little common sense think for ourselves. “Kamala, Day One was 1400 days ago. What the hell were you doing?’
He said Nevadans are paying $1,100 more a month due to inflation under the Biden-Harris administration than under former President Donald Trump.
The claim comes from a report by the Republican Joint Economic Committee in the US Congress that shows the average Nevada household pays $1,195 more per month now to buy the same basket of goods and services than it did in January 2021.
In addition to urging supporters to vote early and get their friends and family to vote, Vance also focused on the border.
“I’m not mad at anybody who wants to come to the United States of America,” he said. “I’m angry at Kamala Harris for opening the border and making the American dream inaccessible to American citizens.”
Among those in attendance who applauded Vance’s remarks were Washoe County GOP Chairman Bruce Parks and nonpartisan candidate Greg Kidd, who is hoping to unseat Republican Rep. Mark Amodei in Nevada’s 2nd Congressional District.
Vance mocks Harris
The insults – delivered in a lighthearted, annoyed tone – come fast and furious.
Harris went from no interviews after being nominated to softball interviews, he said.
“The problem, of course, with the softball interview is that you’re still going to be able to hit a softball,” he continued.
Harris’ interview on “The View,” Vance said, should have ended her campaign.
“What would you do differently than Joe Biden?” he said, echoing a question posed by Harris.
“The ultimate softball. She had to be able to get that one off the stage, to give an answer that defined her campaign. But she gets a blank look and says, “Well, nothing comes to mind.” And then I thought, “That might be the Kamala Harris campaign slogan: Nothing comes to mind.”
A question about transgender women in women’s sports
After delivering about 25 minutes of prepared remarks, Vance answered questions from local reporters.
“If elected, what specifically would you do to prevent transgender women from playing in women’s sports because the president of the University of Nevada, a Republican, said it was against the state constitution to forfeit a game for reasons related to gender identity asked a local TV journalist.
Vance said she believes Title IX — which covers gender-based discrimination in educational settings — should protect girls’ interests.
“It’s a matter of public safety, especially in contact sports,” he said. “I am the father of a 2-year-old daughter. I don’t want my little girl to grow up to compete in sports and then be beaten by a man. This is disgusting. It is a disgrace.”
Vance added: “In the name of a far-left lunatic progressive idea, we are destroying women’s sports in this country. This will have ramifications far beyond mere athletic competition.”
Question about Vance’s past criticism of Trump
Vance was asked about a 2020 message he sent on Twitter, now X, where he said Trump had “totally failed to deliver on his economic populism.”
Vance blamed the media.
“When Donald Trump ran for president (in 2020), I bought into a lot of media lies about him,” he said.
“Once you get to know the man and once you realize that the media is saying dishonest things about him and his record, you realize one thing, you can’t trust the national press, but two, Donald Trump is a damn good guy and he’s done a very, very good job .”
He said Trump’s economic record speaks for itself.
“Sky-high wages, low inflation, a secure southern border, a safer country for Americans — he’s been a very, very good president and will do so again if the people of Nevada give him another chance to be their president.” “
Democratic response to Vance’s visit to Reno
Nevada Press Secretary Amahri Archie released a statement saying Vance and Trump are fighting for billionaires, not working families in the state.
“Their Project 2025 agenda would raise costs for the typical family by nearly $4,000 a year, cost the US more than 3 million jobs, and allow employers to stop paying many workers overtime while giving tax breaks to its billionaires donors,” she said.
“To protect Nevada’s workers and families, we must come together to elect a Vice President Harris who will not only eliminate tip taxes, but go further by raising the minimum wage and taking on corporate landlords, to to reduce housing costs across the state. “
Mark Robison is the state political reporter for the Reno Gazette Journal, occasionally dabbling in other topics. Email comments to [email protected] or comment on Mark’s Greater Reno Facebook page.