Vance tests his own pitch in Texas and Michigan

Vice President JD Vance stood before a crowd in Weatherford, Texas, on Thursday to sharpen his message for the approaching midterms and a potential run for the presidency in 2028. His performance differed from President Trump’s more theatrical style, presenting a more practiced political persona that still carried the core themes of the MAGA movement.

Vance spent much of his time attacking Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico. He noted that Talarico had said he must grapple with his masculinity and whiteness. Vance told the audience, "And you know, James, the good news is, there ain't a whole lot to grapple with." The remark drew cheers from the crowd in Texas.

The speech took place on the same afternoon that President Trump held a rally in Rock Hill, South Carolina. Both events were part of a pre-midterm blitz of rallies designed to energize Republican voters. Vance’s delivery was less like a comedian and more like a seasoned politician, though the content remained rooted in populist promises of restoring American greatness.

In North Carolina earlier in the week, Vance invoked the national sentiment of pride and unity that followed the attacks of September 11, 2001. He used this memory to frame a vision of a lost era of American fellowship. This narrative thread appeared again in Howell, Michigan, where he discussed the decline of local small businesses that once sponsored youth sports teams.

Vance described looking at old football jerseys and realizing the businesses listed as sponsors no longer existed. He told the crowd in Michigan, "They were casualties of politicians in a faraway place who didn't give a damn what happened to Michigan or Ohio, and it was us that paid the consequences." This anecdote served as a central pillar of his argument that Washington elites have damaged the country's economic fabric.

The vice president also leaned into cultural issues during his tour. In North Carolina, he highlighted what he called racial harmony in working-class communities before the rise of modern social movements. He stated, "the children of working-class Black families and the children of working-class white families would play football together, would cheer with one another, would never worry about the color of their skin or who had more privilege."

While Vance often maintains a polished tone, he has experimented with casual language in recent speeches. In Texas, he told the audience he was "sweating my balls off" at the podium. This occasional use of informal speech suggests he is testing the waters for a more direct connection with voters, balancing his eloquent storytelling with moments of raw candor.

A key challenge for Vance is promoting Republican candidates while serving under an unpopular president whose policies have contributed to economic strains. He addressed the spike in gas prices linked to the Iran War by comparing it to historical surges. In Montana, he said, "They skyrocketed in 1979. They skyrocketed in 2001. They skyrocketed in 2007. They skyrocket every time some tin pot dictator decides to throw a tantrum."

Vance has also discussed the high cost of beef, attributing the issue to consolidation among meatpackers rather than specific presidential policies. His role as head of the president's anti-fraud task force provides additional material for his speeches. In Cincinnati last week, he mentioned working as a cashier at Dhillon Foods and his family’s use of federal food benefit programs, connecting his personal history to his current policy work.

His biography offers him distinct tools for a 2028 campaign, including personal accounts of military service and economic hardship. These details allow him to present a narrative of shared struggle that differs from the bombast and unfiltered anger that characterized President Trump’s rise. Vance’s current itinerary serves as a laboratory for how he might translate these personal stories into a national platform.