GOP Lawmakers, Leaders React to Vance, Walz Debate
Republican lawmakers and top voices reacted sharply as Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Ohio Sen. JD Vance sparred during their first and only vice presidential debate on Tuesday night in New York City. The debate was moderated by CBS News’ Norah O’Donnell and Margaret Brennan.
“Senator JD Vance is spitting the cold, hard truth on the debate stage,” Trump 2024 national press secretary Karoline Leavitt wrote on X. “Total domination and we are only 20 minutes in.”
Rep. Tom Emmer, R-Minn., criticized Tim Walz’s immigration stance, stating, “Tim Walz is as radical as they come on the issue of immigration. As governor of Minnesota, he supported free health care, free college tuition, and driver’s licenses for illegal immigrants. Innocent Americans have been assaulted & murdered because of this border crisis.”
Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., also weighed in, saying, “Tim Walz’s answer on Israel was incomprehensible. Like Kamala—Walz has no idea what he is talking about. Kamala and Walz would make the chaos in the Middle East worse.”
Trump campaign senior adviser Tim Murtaugh added, “Iran rained missiles down on Israel TODAY, 1,350 days into Kamala Harris’ tenure as Vice President, so naturally Tim Walz says it’s Donald Trump’s fault.”
Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., praised JD Vance’s performance, stating, “JD knocks it out of the park with the first question!!! Tim Walz implodes on the first question in presentation, communication, and substance.”
Texas Gov. Gregg Abbott criticized the Harris-Walz campaign’s immigration policy, saying, “Law enforcement has been attacked. Deadly fentanyl has taken the lives of thousands of Americans. Kamala Harris & Tim Walz support open border policies. They will make the border crisis worse.”
Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo added, “How can Tim Walz pretend Kamala is tough on the border when she allowed more than 16,000 sex offenders and 13,000 murderers to cross the border? A vote for Kamala and Tim Walz is a vote for open borders.”
The debate also touched on abortion, with Republicans criticizing Tim Walz’s stance. Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene wrote, “Democrats always resort to killing babies every time they are losing. And then lie and call it ‘reproductive freedom.’ There is nothing reproductive about abortion.”
