WASHINGTON — Democrats on Capitol Hill saw a ghost during Tuesday night’s vice presidential debate, or at least they wish they did.
Once the debate between Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz — Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate — and Sen. J.D. Vance — former President Donald Trump’s right-hand man — wrapped, Raw Story texted 15+ Democratic members of Congress with a simple question: “Is Vance more of a threat than you thought going into the debate?”
Only four of the more than 15 Democrats we reached out to replied. Just two on the record; the others asked not to be named so they could speak candidly, if sheepishly.
“On background…,” one Democratic member of Congress responded to Raw Story’s inquiry about Vance’s blue-eyed performance. “Yes.”
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In replying to Raw Story, another sitting Democratic member of Congress also expressed a desire not to be named after witnessing the often cringeworthy vice presidential debate.
“Not for attribution?” another Democratic lawmaker replied to Raw Story’s inquiry of whether they now see Vance’s casual, smirking political style as a threat. “He’s a sociopath who should never be anywhere near the nuclear button or the White House.”
“On the record: J.D. Vance used tonight to campaign for himself for 2028 rather than defend his running mate,” Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-PA) texted Raw Story. “But even then, the slick Yale venture capitalist lost the two big exchanges of the night: Jan 6 and abortion.”
Still, other Democrats are resting in the fact that the V.P. debate and Vance—or so they hope—are now behind them.
“He’s slick. Walz is folksy and relatable,” Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA) texted back to Raw Story’s inquiry. “In the final analysis, VP debates are interesting but irrelevant. I can’t think of one that moved the needle in a presidential race.”
While he’s not a Democrat — even if he has left the Republican Party, he was a proud member while serving in Congress — former Rep. Denver Riggleman (R-VA) said Tuesday’s vice presidential debate was illuminating because he now sees Vance more clearly.
“He lies better and is much more manipulative than Trump,” Riggleman texted Raw Story. “He is MAGA’s future.”
Riggleman doesn’t know why all these Democratic elected officials are distracted by Vance’s performance.
“He has a critical weakness though: He can’t separate himself from Trump and his recorded comments and blatant misrepresentations are imprinted on so many,” Riggleman told Raw Story. “Trump is still top of the ticket. Vance will always be the boy who attached himself to the most vile POTUS of our generation.”
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