Additional Coverage:
In Philadelphia, Senator JD Vance of Ohio critiqued Vice President Kamala Harris’s choice of running mate, Governor Tim Walz of Minnesota, labeling both as adherents of “San Francisco-style” liberalism. This comment came during Vance’s first public appearance since the announcement of Walz as the vice presidential candidate.
Vance posited that both Harris and Walz embodied the liberal values associated with San Francisco, a frequent point of contention in political discourse. Interestingly, while Harris started her political career in the Bay Area, serving as the San Francisco District Attorney from 2004 to 2011, Governor Walz only recently visited San Francisco for the first time, describing it as a new and “exotic” experience during an episode of “The Ezra Klein Show.”
Despite his recent connections, Vance himself is no stranger to San Francisco. Following law school, he resided in the city to begin his career in venture capitalism and has written about his experiences there.
Vance also criticized Walz’s handling of the 2020 Minneapolis riots following George Floyd’s murder, describing him as one of the “most far-left radicals” in the U.S. government. The senator’s spokesperson, William Martin, underscored that the policies supported by Harris and Walz would appeal more to liberal cities than to swing states like Pennsylvania, Michigan, or Wisconsin.
Amid his campaign efforts, Vance continues to follow Harris and Walz across key battleground states. His commentary reflects a strategy of tapping into regional political biases and the varied perceptions of urban liberalism in national politics.