As Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz faced off in the Vice Presidential debate in New York City on Tuesday, both parties turned to social media to rally support for their candidates, with Democrats fact-checking Vance at every turn.
Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg remarked that Walz was “laying down facts” while claiming Vance was “unaware” that U.S. energy production is on the rise.
During the debate hosted by CBS News, Buttigieg stated on X, “It’s remarkable to see JD Vance pretend to be unaware that U.S. energy production is up and U.S. manufacturing is dramatically higher now than it was under Trump. Glad Tim Walz is laying down the facts here.”
David Plouffe, former campaign manager and White House Senior Advisor for Barack Obama, called out Vance for what he viewed as a strong performance from Walz during the immigration segment. He tweeted, “Gov. Walz dominated JD Vance in the immigration exchange with undecided voters in a western battleground state. Reminding these voters that Donald Trump built only 2 percent of the wall and that Mexico didn’t pay a dime was the strongest moment of the debate.”
California Gov. Gavin Newsom also fact-checked Vance, warning that if he and Donald Trump were elected, American families would bear the brunt of high costs.
Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., criticized Vance for making “false” claims regarding the Middle East. Murphy wrote, “Vance says Trump ‘restored deterrence’ in the Middle East. Totally false. Iran and its proxies weren’t shooting at U.S. troops UNTIL Trump became President.”
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer praised Walz for “standing up for American workers,” stating, “Michigan remembers what happened under Donald Trump. Hundreds of thousands of jobs were lost across all industries, including manufacturing. The Biden-Harris administration was critical to bringing jobs back to Michigan.”
Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., alleged that Trump and Vance’s “Project 2025 agenda will raise costs for Arizona families while giving more tax breaks and power to big corporations.” He added, “@KamalaHarris and @Tim_Walz will lower costs and build an economy that works for all Americans.” Project 2025 refers to a set of conservative policy proposals from the Heritage Foundation and has become a focal point for Democratic criticisms of Trump.
Democratic Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker tweeted that “housing and homeownership will be most accessible under a Harris-Walz administration,” emphasizing their commitment to helping the next generation of homeowners achieve the American dream.
Ex-Obama adviser David Axelrod noted that while Vance started strong in the debate, he “ran like a bat out of hell” when faced with a direct question about the 2020 election. Brian Fallon, a former aide to Hillary Clinton, also criticized Vance’s evasive response regarding the 2020 election results, stating, “A top moment of the debate comes in the closing minutes: Vance refuses to say Trump lost the 2020 election. ‘Damning non-answer,’ Walz says.”
