Standing broad and determined, J.D. Vance hoped to show Minnesota and Wisconsin voters a new perspective on the economic and social pitfalls since the 2020 George Floyd incident. This past Monday, October 14th, Vance stopped in Eagan Minnesota, accompanied by his wife Usha, to attend a high-end privately held fundraiser. Soon after, he and his team took an unannounced trip to the 3rd President Headquarters on East Lake Street in Minneapolis for a press conference.
Of the many discussion points addressed, Vance wanted to highlight the governmental actions taken by the Minnesota legislature after this tragedy. Challenging his vice-president running mate, Vance stated Tim Walz ill-effectively handled many aspects of the social and economic unrest after George Floyd’s death.
The George Floyd tragedy caused a multitude of ripple effects in the city of Minnesota and the United States as a whole. Firstly, it caused a separation of trust between citizens and their local police officers, particularly with communities of color. Many of these individuals were advocates of the defunding of local police, causing these officers and officials to question their work and purpose in the face of scrutiny. Secondly, over 1,500 businesses in the Minneapolis area were damaged or destroyed, with many owned by local minorities. The cost of repairing or replacing these destroyed businesses was estimated to be over $500 million, making it one of the most expensive civil unrest events in U.S. history. With all of these pitfalls being attributed to these tragic events, republican vice-president candidate Vance wanted the public to remember the emotional and socioeconomic damage that was endured during this period.
Vance himself has endured immense diversity within his personal life. Growing up in Middletown, Ohio, he had personal experiences with a de-industrialized community. Additionally, having a mother who struggled with addiction, he was forced to grow up with his grandparents and found influence through his grandmother (known as “Mamaw”). After high school, Vance decided to join the United States Marine Corps, eventually serving in Iraq. He attributed discipline and personal skills to these experiences but also questioned the morality of war and what it means to fight for one’s country and national duty. Soon after, he attended Ohio State University and earned a degree in political science and philosophy. Deciding to go to grad school, Vance studied law at Yale where he focused on legal theory and practice.
Hillbilly Elegy, a memoir of an economic and cultural crisis written by Vance in 2016 displayed profound experience in the race, military, and American experience. Overall, his setbacks and challenges have provided a testament to his resilience and ability to turn challenges into opportunities. Vance’s questioning of Tim Walz’s leadership and past political actions is important for the public to question internally. More importantly, personal questions arise about the future landscape of our government. “Has Tim Walz’s past dealings with adversity helped our Minnesota community and the United States landscape move forward as a whole?” We should build an assertive internal notion of people in our lives and how they’ve endured adversity and moved forward. When it was time to make the tough decision to take that leap of faith forward, or slowly sit away in silence, what move did that person make? Of this information and question highlighted above, we voters must understand how our values align with our candidates and their past history, making a vote for who we think is best for our nation as a whole. Potential Vice President J.D. Vance brought up important points about Tim Walz’s history as a Governor of Minnesota and his potential pitfalls in leadership. With this information, will you skew your vote towards the republican party on November 2nd?
