Democrats don’t know who their 2028 presidential nominee will be yet. But they seem to agree on whom they will face.
Several Democratic hopefuls are focusing their attacks on Vice President JD Vance, shifting their attention toward President Donald Trump’s heir apparent.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom on social media last week posted a screenshot of a New York Times headline referring to allegations of Trump’s ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in newly released emails. The headline didn’t mention the vice president, but Newsom wrote on X, “Color me shocked. Any comment, @JDVance?”
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro issued a lengthy rebuke of Vance over the lapse in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (or SNAP) benefits during the government shutdown, invoking the vice president’s memoir detailing his Ohio upbringing near Appalachia, an impoverished region.
“America deserves better than JD Vance,” Shapiro proclaimed, blaming “Vance’s bulls––– politics” for the predicament.
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, meanwhile, used a time-worn tactic for running against a vice president, referring to the “Trump-Vance administration” in an interview with The Grio, also about SNAP. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt called the attacks on Vance “pathetic,” blaming Democrats for jeopardizing the program.
The rhetoric underscores how the growing Democratic field is preparing for a matchup with Vance.
The rhetoric underscores how the growing Democratic field is preparing for a matchup with Vance, who is widely viewed as the most likely heir to Trump’s political movement. But their focus this early on Vance may also be a sign that Trump’s influence is waning.
Erick Erickson, a conservative radio host who, like Vance, was previously a “never Trumper” before supporting the president, warned that Trump’s “lame duck status” would “come even faster” after Democrats won elections in New York, Virginia and New Jersey this month.
Alex Pfeiffer, a former White House deputy communications director, said Democrats such as Newsom are “desperate for national attention” and attacking Vance “to stir up headlines.”
Vance, meanwhile, hasn’t shied away from the fight. The vice president has consistently been one of the administration’s fiercest defenders, remaining a top messenger during the government shutdown earlier this month. He also embarked on a tour in competitive House districts to promote Republicans’ megabill, which includes tax cuts for most Americans.
The focus on Vance could mark a major shift for Democrats who have been running against Trump for most of the past decade.
To be sure, former Vice President Kamala Harris took her share of jabs from Republicans during her tenure. But the focus on Vance could mark a major shift for Democrats who have been running against Trump for most of the past decade.
The Democratic National Committee’s rapid response director, Kendall Witmer, said that Democrats plan to focus on economic issues going forward — a top priority for Americans in recent polls — by placing blame on “Trump and his would-be heirs, including JD Vance,” for enduring concerns about the cost of living.
Despite Trump’s fading star, he remains a top commodity in Republican circles, and his support is considered critical, if not essential, to win the still-unformed Republican primary. Early polling shows Vance is a top contender, and Trump has hyped him as such.
But if Vance chooses to run, he will face the difficult balancing act of distancing himself from “the baggage” of the current administration while still serving in it, according to Joel Goldstein, a scholar of the vice presidency.“For Vance, that will be particularly challenging, because Trump doesn’t allow much space for people to separate themselves from him,” Goldstein said. “The president wants loyalty.”
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Akayla Gardner is a White House correspondent for MS NOW.