JD Vance Tries To Roast His Opponent & Has To Ask What Her Name Is

Share
LinkedInPin
Scott Olson/Getty Images

What to Know

01 While campaigning for GOP Rep. Zach Nunn, JD Vance spoke in Iowa.
02 He tried to criticize Nunn's opponent, but couldn't remember her name or read his own notes.
03 The mistake made his speech feel far less effective to people and also reminded people of his much older superior, President Donald Trump.

While speaking at a rally for Rep. Zach Nunn in Iowa, Vice President JD Vance couldn’t remember the name of the person he was campaigning against. The awkward mistake has started circulating online, and in some ways, it reminds critics of Vance’s much older boss, President Donald Trump.

Vance may be a former self-proclaimed “Never Trump guy,” but people have noticed that he has been sounding more and more like Trump lately. He’s been criticized for trying to make offensive and petty jokes à la Trump. And, now, the fact that he seemingly couldn’t remember whom he was talking about or even read his own notes, people are starting to see even more similarities. (At the same time, some critics have argued time and time again that Vance lacks charisma, so they don’t imagine him ever being as popular as Trump).

When Trump loses track of what he’s saying or struggles to read his own notes, it amplifies the dementia rumors.

Meanwhile, Vance is 41 years old, so the mistake does not exactly seem age-related. At the Des Moines, Iowa rally on Tuesday, May 5, he tried to insult state Sen. Sarah Trone Garriott, but had to ask what her name was. “When I see Iowa farmers who need to get that E-15 to market, what is, uhh. What is, uhh..” Vance said, pausing awkwardly. Still unable to recall the name of the person he was trying to campaign against, he continued, “Zach, you’re going to have to help me out with her name here. I lost my page here.”

He flipped through his notes and added, “OK, all right, there we go. Sarah Trone Garriott. … I’m on the wrong page here.”

People have been mocking Vance on social media over this mistake.

The Republicans against Trump X account shared a clip of this exact mistake and captioned it with, “JD Vance clearly doesn’t have it. It’s becoming increasingly likely he won’t be the Republican nominee for president in 2028. And if he is, the Democratic nominee will beat him decisively. Thoughts?”

People definitely did have thoughts. “Dude has all the rizz of a wilted onion,” someone wrote back. Another critic said Vance’s speech made him sound like a “Substitute Teacher without the lesson plan.”

“He is arguably one of the most uncharismatic politicians of the modern era,” another commenter added.

Sarah Trone Garriott also reacted to Vance’s attempt at an insult.

In a video shared on social media, she said, “Tonight I was holding a town hall in Jefferson, Iowa when I found out that JD Vance attacked me. Or tried.”

She then played the clip of Vance stumbling over his notes and continued, “My name is Sarah Trone Garriott and I’m doing open town halls throughout the district because Iowans deserve a representative that shows up for them. Meanwhile, Zach Nunn is too afraid to face his constituents and is instead campaigning with DC insiders, attacking me, because there’s nothing good to say about his record of taking away healthcare and raising costs on Iowans.”

So, basically, Vance inadvertently provided free content for the opponent to use in her campaign ads. In response to her video, one Trump critic wrote, “He’s an idiot and showed it tonight once again. Just reads the scripts he’s handed by Trump, (Peter) Thiel, whoever.”

READ NEXT: JD Vance’s Suit At State Dinner Is Going Viral And The Comparisons Are Something

Paige Sheffield (she/her)