Michigan Dems react to Republican vice presidential candidate nomination

Ohio native J.D. Vance was selected to join former president Donald Trump on the Republican ticket at the party’s convention this week.

Shri Thanedar Debbie Stabenow and Haley Stevens

U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, along with 11th District Rep. Haley Stevens and 13th District Rep. Shri Thanedar, made a joint appearance in Detroit this week.

They delivered responses to J.D. Vance being nominated as the Republican vice-presidential candidate for the November election.

The trio of Democrats were critical of Vance’s differing views on party line topics, like abortion access.

Stabenow has worked with Vance on Capitol Hill. She thinks his resume won’t resonate with voters in her state — the Republican having only been in the Senate since 2023.

“[He opposes] what we have done to lower prescription drug prices,” said Stabenow. “He is one of the people attacking social security and Medicare.”

When asked whether President Biden should drop out of the race over questions of his age, Stabenow said she supports his reelection effort. She did add that she would give Kamala Harris her full backing if things were to change.

Thanedar took aim at Vance’s stance on labor, saying he doesn’t support the PRO Act — which protects striking union workers from being replaced.

“He will be a disaster for working America,” said Thanedar. “The union members will not support J.D. Vance because of his anti-worker policies.”

On the other side of the aisle, conservatives hope that Vance, a 39-year-old Senator from Ohio, can make the Republican ticket more appealing to Midwest voters in key swing states.

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Author

  • Alex McLenon is a Reporter with 101.9 WDET. McLenon is a graduate of Wayne State University, where he studied Media Arts & Production and Broadcast Journalism.