'Alarmed': GOP strategist blasts J.D. Vance's 'insane' response on democracy question

Former President Donald Trump's running mate, Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, cannot brush off his dismissal of democracy, longtime GOP strategist and focus grouper Sarah Longwell wrote on X Wednesday.

Vance was considered by political pundits to have debated more skillfully in at least the first half of the bout with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, but polling suggests debate viewers felt Walz won on several issues and even forced Vance to a draw on many conventionally GOP-favoring issues like immigration and the economy.

One of the biggest moments, however, was when Vance refused to answer whether he believed Trump lost the 2020 presidential election — and that cannot be overlooked, said Longwell, the founder of the anti-Trump Republican Accountability Project.

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"Last night’s debate had two features I like very much: substance and civility," wrote Longwell. "And yet, JD Vance told us he was totally cool with Trump’s refusal to abide by the 2020 election results."

"The more *normal* one sounds when saying insane things, the more alarmed we should be," warned Longwell.

Vance has continually refused to commit to accepting election results that go against Trump, and has made clear that if he were placed in former Vice President Mike Pence's shoes in 2020, he would have done as Trump demanded and illegally blocked the certification of the electoral count on January 6.

All of this comes at a time when the Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee have shifted much of their resources away from conventional voter outreach and into poll watcher training and legal buildup, with the intent to contest any election results that don't go their way in 2024.

Last night’s debate had two features I like very much: substance and civility. And yet, JD Vance told us he was totally cool with Trump’s refusal to abide by the 2020 election results. The more *normal* one sounds when saying insane things, the more alarmed we should be.
— Sarah Longwell (@SarahLongwell25) October 2, 2024