JD Vance talks economic, immigration policies at downtown press conference

In a speech, Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance talked about economic policies for both the Trump and Harris campaigns at The Pennsylvanian in Downtown Pittsburgh on Thursday, Oct. 17.

Polls show a close race between Trump and Harris, and in recent weeks, the candidates have been focusing on battleground states like Pennsylvania. Vance emphasized the importance of his campaign and encouraged people to volunteer as Election Day draws closer.

“Nineteen days to work. Nineteen days to knock on doors. Nineteen days to make phone calls. Nineteen days to get our friends to the polls to vote in 19 days,” Vance said. “We used to say, Kamala Harris, her broken leadership, you are fired tonight.”

Vance referenced an interview Harris did with The View where she said she wouldn’t have done anything different than Biden. 

“If you think about her plans, if you think about her slogans, because they don’t actually have any details, maybe we should change the slogan of the Kamala Harris campaign to ‘Nothing comes to mind,’” Vance said. 

To combat rising prices, Vance said America needs to “unleash Pennsylvania energy workers.”

“[There’s a] real connection between energy and groceries, energy and housing, and it’s everywhere, because energy is the biggest cost of what most of us think,” Vance said. “If you think about the truck driver who took the groceries to the grocery store, if he’s paying 50% more for diesel, then you’re paying a lot more for groceries.”

Vance continued his speech by referencing the border wall and the “problems” he sees with immigration. 

“Sometimes, people move into our communities that have no legal right to be there in the first place,” Vance said. “When we add thousands upon thousands of children of illegal aliens to Pennsylvania schools, children who can’t even speak their local language, Americans lose quality to their education.”

Before Vance came on stage, several speakers addressed the crowd, including Slippery Rock Mayor Jondavid R. Longo and Pennsylvania 14th Congressional District Congressman Guy Reschenthaler. Longo encouraged the audience to vote early with mail-in ballots.

“These are the tools we can use to ensure conservative voices are heard,” Longo said. 

Reschenthaler said he wanted to see a party that “moves forward and makes America great again.”

“We will never be the party that represents Wall Street before main street,” Reschenthaler said. “We will never be the party who represents people who shower before work versus those who shower after work. We will never be the party that represents the evil that runs America opposed to who we are now. We’re representing the people that make America run.”

Following Vance’s speech, Blake Marnell, also known as the “Brick Man” due to his brick suit, said he came from San Diego to volunteer across Pennsylvania for the Trump campaign.

When Marnell saw Vance speak, he said the senator impresses him every time and is an “amazing speaker.”

“If voters were to take the time to watch a JD Vance press conference like this … they would have a much better picture of him and a much cooler picture than just relying on just a 20-second clip on the news, media or on the internet,” Marnell said. 

Jesse Milston, a sophomore political science and history major at Pitt and secretary for the Pitt College Republicans, volunteered at the event. Originally, he wanted Doug Burgum as the Republican vice presidential pick.

“I think Vance had the most downside, in a sense, but that doesn’t change the fact that he’s still a good VP,” Milston said. “I’ve talked with folks after the fact. No matter who got put up there, there would have been an attack. Like, the media would have gone after them.”

As the campaign has gone on, Milston said Vance has “won me over.”

“He’s done great,” Milston said. “I think he’s been able to articulate a lot of things very well. He’s an excellent speaker, and his story is uniquely American, so I’m very happy he’s on the ticket.”