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Republican VP candidate JD Vance at Eastern Market talks auto industry, economy to voters
The Ohio senator and vice presidential candidate made his eighth visit to Michigan since becoming former President Donald Trump's running mate. Vance hit on election issues like the economy, border security and specific to Detroit - the auto industry.
DETROIT (FOX 2) - JD Vance made his first visit to Detroit on Tuesday, speaking inside Eastern Market to supporters and delivering similar remarks as his previous visits.
He touched on electric vehicles and auto manufacturing, encouraged voters to cast their ballot early, and showered his running mate Donald Trump with praise. He also made a prediction about his trips to the state.
"I'm going to be in Michigan like 30 times," he quipped.
His campaign stop was the 8th since being selected as Trump's vice presidential pick and with less than a month until the election, it likely won't be his last. The stop comes less than a week after the Ohio senator and vice presidential candidate visited Auburn Hills and Marne.
Michigan's 15 electoral votes and its battleground status make it a key state to win for both Trump and his Democratic opponent Kamala Harris.
Detroit and Wayne County have been Democratic strongholds for years and could be key to flipping Michigan red if the Republican ticket can convince voters to support them. However, the city has also been a target of the former president, who labeled the city as "corrupt" while making inaccurate claims about voting counting during the 2020 election.
Trump continues to claim he won the 2020 election, despite no evidence of any fraudulent voting as well as statewide audits confirming the race was secure and accurate.
During Vance's visit, he was asked about a former campaign official encouraging supporters to "riot" while votes were counted in the TCF Center a day after the November election in 2020.
"Nobody in this room and nobody in this movement is going to riot," he said.
The VP pick also touted the campaign's endorsement from Robert F. Kennedy Jr. while claiming his statements about disaster aid improperly being used for migrants rather than victims of Hurricane Helene were about the administration's response as a whole.
Aside from the Auburn Hills visit and a stop in Shelby Township over the summer, Vance has focused most of his time in Michigan in the west and northern part of the state, where he has made numerous stops.
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During the Auburn Hills stop, where he spoke at an aerospace company, Vance covered a range of subjects, from his sparring with Tim Walz to manufacturing in Michigan, as well as electric vehicles and China. He also took questions from reporters, including on mandates and incentives for battery-powered cars and trucks.
Vance's running mate, Former President Donald Trump, will also be in Detroit this week to speak at the Detroit Economic Club on Thursday.
Tuesday's visit and any future visits come as Michigan voters have already begun casting their ballots. Absentee ballots started heading out to voters in late September, and early voting starts soon.
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