Democrats Take Aim At VP Vance Ahead of 2028
As President Donald J. Trump continues to dominate the political landscape in his second term, Democrats are increasingly turning their attention to a rising figure many see as the future of the America First movement: Vice President JD Vance.
Rather than focusing solely on President Trump, several prominent Democrats have begun targeting Vance — widely viewed as a leading contender for the Republican nomination in 2028 — in what appears to be an early attempt to weaken his growing national profile.
One of the clearest examples came when Andy Beshear traveled to Vance’s home turf in Butler County, Ohio, where he launched a sharp — and critics say misleading — attack on the vice president’s personal story.
During remarks at a Democratic fundraiser, Beshear took aim at Vance’s bestselling memoir Hillbilly Elegy, which chronicles his upbringing and helped elevate him to national prominence.
“His book ‘Hillbilly Elegy’ was really hillbilly hate,” Beshear whined. “It is poverty tourism, because he ain’t from Appalachia.”
The criticism raised eyebrows, given that Vance’s memoir is widely understood to be a firsthand account of his own life and the struggles of working-class Americans — a perspective that resonated deeply with voters who helped propel President Trump to victory.
Democratic strategists, however, are openly acknowledging their long-term focus on Vance. Lis Smith, a veteran of Pete Buttigieg’s 2020 presidential campaign, made the strategy explicit.
“With every day that passes, we get closer to a day when Donald Trump is no longer president. And we need to prepare for that day,” Smith told The Associated Press. “Right now, JD Vance is a clear frontrunner for the 2028 nomination. And so we should begin defining him — not in 2027, not in 2028 — but today.”
The vice president’s office quickly fired back. Spokeswoman Taylor Van Kirk dismissed Beshear’s remarks as politically motivated and self-serving.
“Every time Andy Beshear attacks the vice president to try to get himself publicity, he ends up humiliating himself in the process, but maybe that’s something he’s into?” she said.
Other Democrats have followed suit. Ro Khanna began targeting Vance as early as last year, delivering speeches at venues like the City Club of Cleveland and Yale University — where both men studied law — in an effort to frame Vance as more ideologically extreme than President Trump.
Similarly, Josh Shapiro, another potential 2028 contender, openly criticized Vance’s authenticity.
“At least with Donald Trump, he’s transparent about that,” Shapiro said. “JD Vance is a total phony.”
Behind the scenes, Democratic operatives view attacking Vance as a proving ground for their own ambitions. Smith acknowledged that taking shots at the vice president doubles as a political audition.
“There’s definitely value in taking on Vance to show Democrats, hey, this could be me on the debate stage against him,” she said.
Vance’s rise has been fueled in large part by his compelling personal story. Born and raised in Middletown, Ohio, he captured national attention with Hillbilly Elegy in 2016, offering insight into the struggles and values of working-class Americans — particularly those in rural communities often overlooked by the political establishment.
That connection carried him to the U.S. Senate in 2022 and ultimately to the vice presidency, where he now plays a central role in advancing President Trump’s second-term agenda.
Despite the coordinated attacks, early polling suggests Vance remains the clear favorite among Republicans and right-leaning independents for the next presidential primary.
A recent Center Square Voters’ Voice Poll found that Vance leads the field with 36% support — nearly double that of Donald Trump Jr., who came in second at 19%. Another 14% of respondents said they were undecided.
While both Vance and Trump Jr. saw slight declines compared to earlier polling, Marco Rubio has gained ground, signaling that the Republican field may continue to evolve as 2028 approaches.
Still, Democrats’ early and aggressive focus on Vance underscores a broader reality: as President Trump leads the nation, the battle over the future of his political movement — and who will carry it forward — is already well underway.