Former President Trump’s allies are looking at his selection of Sen. JD Vance as a key appeal to Midwestern voters – and some New York Republican lawmakers are hopeful it’ll give the GOP a boost in their own state as well.
House GOP lawmakers representing the Democratic stronghold state held a media event on the sidelines of the Republican National Convention (RNC) on Tuesday, a day after Trump named Vance as his running mate in the November election.
Reps. Nicole Malliotakis and Mike Lawler both pointed to Vance’s pro-union stances, which line up with policies that have won support in their districts as well.
Malliotakis pointed out that Teamsters Union President Sean O’Brien, who spoke at the RNC on Monday night, gave shoutouts to a handful of Republican lawmakers including herself, Vance and Lawler “as people who have been working with labor.”
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“I think that’s an area where – in New York, I have one of the largest districts of labor union representation, in membership. And I think that’s where JD Vance is going to resonate with working men and women,” Malliotakis said. “Republicans are the ones creating jobs for these unions.”
Lawler argued that Vance’s military service – he enlisted two years after the Sept. 11 attacks – and his background story would resonate with Americans across the country – including in New York.
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“JD Vance enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps after 9/11. Obviously, coming from New York, all of our districts have been impacted by 9/11 and continue to be,” Lawler said. “This is a blue collar, working-class guy raised by his grandmother who was a blue dog Democrat, went, got his law degree, started his own business.”
“I think he has strong appeal in the Rust Belt, yes, and states that are going to decide the election – Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania – but also across the country.”
Rep. Claudia Tenney, who represents part of upstate New York, said her district was not much different from the traditional Rust Belt states where the Trump campaign hopes Vance will appeal most.
“I think, obviously, upstate New York is a bit of a Rust Belt itself, and I think that’s why JD Vance is an inspiring choice,” Tenney said.
“Only in America can you achieve and come from the most humble roots, and be so successful as JD Vance is. And I think that’s going to be inspiring for people in upstate New York.”
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She added, however, that House GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, who was also at the press conference, would have been a “historic” choice.
It comes after Politico reported last week that President Biden’s support may be slipping in New York in the wake of his disastrous performance at the CNN Presidential Debate late last month.
“We’re still acting like this is a one-party state, which for pretty much 20, 25 years it has been,” Democratic Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine told the outlet. “I truly believe we’re a battleground state now.”
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