The upcoming November 5 election is promising to be a tight race between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. And although the controversial Republican has maintained an air of confidence that he will undoubtedly win the election, polling suggests it might be more competitive than he lets on—and his running mate isn’t helping.
Over a month ago, the former president announced that Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance would join him on the GOP ticket as his vice-presidential pick. The highly anticipated news initially showed optimism among Trump supporters as Vance appeared to be favored by the working class and by younger voters.
But excitement about the “Make America Great Again” campaign’s vice-presidential nominee has dwindled in recent weeks as Vance has made headlines for odd speeches and awkward interactions with Americans. On August 22, the senator made an on-camera stop at a local Georgia doughnut store—but it didn’t generate the PR he was likely trying to achieve.
It began when an employee at Holt’s Sweet Shop requested that he not be filmed, followed by the lawmaker introducing himself as “running for vice president” and the worker replying, “OK.” Awkward small talk with other employees followed, capped off with a strange order from the candidate.
Vance requested “a lot of glazed” doughnuts as well as cinnamon rolls and “some sprinkle stuff.” He added that he wanted “whatever makes sense.” The senator also wondered how long the business had been open and replied, “OK” when someone informed him it had been four years.
Those who viewed the awkward encounter on social media blasted the politician as “weird”—an adjective for him that has been thrown back and forth between the two presidential campaigns—and being “incapable” of making “normal connection[s]” with others.
And while it may be unfair to brand Vance as “weird” overall, this isn’t the first time he’s raised eyebrows after strange interactions with people. Last week, when asked about the “largest deportation operation in American history” that has been promised by Trump, Vance compared the top priority border crisis issue to “a really big sandwich.”
He made the analogy to reporters at an event for the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States in Pennsylvania who were wondering if the campaign promise to kick out illegal immigrants would utilize the National Guard. Vance explained that there is a need to “stop the bleeding” first, meaning reaching an illegal immigration rate of “as close to zero” as they could.
He then said that addressing the millions of illegal residents already living in the United States is a “big sandwich” that is “10 times the size of your mouth.” Rhetorically asking how to “eat the whole thing,” he explained that the Trump-Vance administration would “eat” away the problem “bite” by “bite,” noting that this is the way to “approach” the problem of millions of illegal residents.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, polling suggests that Vance is the least popular vice-presidential candidate in recent history. In the latest surveys, he consistently scores an “unfavorable” rating of at least 5 points higher than his favorability rate.