Democrats are increasingly turning their attention to Vice President JD Vance, viewing him as the Republican frontrunner for the 2028 presidential election. This strategic pivot was highlighted by Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, who travelled to Vance's home county in Ohio for a Democratic fundraiser on Saturday night.
Beshear criticised Vance's memoir, Hillbilly Elegy, accusing him of exploiting stereotypes and abandoning the communities he wrote about. “His book ‘Hillbilly Elegy’ was really hillbilly hate,” Beshear said, labelling it “poverty tourism, because he ain’t from Appalachia.”
Democratic strategist Lis Smith emphasised the need to define Vance early. “Right now, JD Vance is a clear front-runner for the 2028 nomination. And so we should begin defining him — not in 2027, not in 2028 — but today,” she said. Others, including Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, have called Vance a “total phony,” while California Governor Gavin Newsom has mocked him as “JD ‘Just Dance’ Vance.”
Vance spokesperson Taylor Van Kirk dismissed the criticism, saying Beshear “ends up humiliating himself” with such attacks. Republicans have previously used similar tactics against Vice President Kamala Harris, tying her to unpopular administration policies.
Vance, 41, rose to prominence with Hillbilly Elegy and was elected to the Senate in 2022 before becoming vice president. His background is expected to be central to any future presidential run, and Democrats are now working to undermine that narrative.
