Ohio Voters Not Fully Sold On JD Vance’s Smug A-Hole Face
Who’d have a guessed? Anyone. That’s who.
Here’s some uplifting news for Thursday morning: Center Street PAC dropped an Ohio Senate poll this week showing Rep. Tim Ryan leading jerkface JD Vance 48 to 39 percent among likely voters. This seems incredibly optimistic for a state that Donald Trump won twice, but the great Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown won re-election by about seven points in 2018. His opponent wasn’t an obvious 1980s college movie villain, either.
“Vance just isn’t likable. Even many Republicans are unimpressed. While Republicans might hold their noses and vote for him anyway, it’s a tough sell for independents, particularly when Tim presents as a more likable, 'real' Ohioan,” said Center Street Co-Founder Jacob Perry. “Tim speaks their language and shows he understands Ohio voters and what they’re worried about. JD can’t match that connection.”
PREVIOUSLY:
According to 2020 exit polls, Republicans made up 38 percent of the electorate to Democrats’ 31 percent. However, 30 percent of voters were independents, and Joe Biden only managed a tie. Sherrod Brown won independents by 12 points and was slightly more competitive among Republicans. We’ve long believed that was Ryan’s best path to victory.
The skeptical among us might assume this poll was conducted in Ryan’s residence, but it’s not all unfiltered Democratic hopium. The same poll shows Republican Gov. Mike DeWine crushing his Democratic opponent, Nan Whaley, by 16 points. Ohio voters just don’t care much for JD Vance. It’s as if they’ve met him.
Center Street PAC notes that 13 percent of voters are still “undecided,” which, based on 2016 precedent, might mean they are waiting for an excuse to vote for the Republican, no matter how lousy. Vance is a particularly lousy candidate so this could take a while. Center Street PAC has observed some Trump voters starting to break for Vance. Building on this slow-motion car crash momentum, Trump will headline one of his hate rallies in Youngstown, Ohio, next week. Vance was also invited. These rallies usually have a passing focus at best on the actual candidate: Trump just spouts bile for a few hours. Vance is lucky if Trump manages to mention even one or two reasons to vote for him. However, in Vance’s case, one or two reasons is the best anyone could offer.
Making elections all about Trump when Trump isn’t actually on the ballot has proven disastrous multiple times. He already depressed Republican turnout in the 2021 Georgia Senate runoff elections, and now the craptastic candidates he’s endorsed are falling on their faces. You’d almost think Trump hates Mitch McConnell so much he wants him to die without ever becoming Senate majority leader again, but while Trump is the pettiest man alive, he’s probably not capable of that level of longterm strategic planning.
The supposed JD Vance Comeback Rally, where he wows Trump supporters with his authentic, blue-collar charisma, is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Saturday, September 17. Neither of these dummies were apparently aware that the Ohio State Buckeyes are playing the Toledo Rockets in Columbus, Ohio, at the same time.
“Incredible that he has no one on his staff that could be like uhhhh maybe a Saturday night in September isn't the best idea”
— Bradford Pearson (@Bradford Pearson) 1662495738
Journalist Bradford Pearson tweeted: “Incredible that [Vance] has no one on his staff that could be like uhhh maybe a Saturday night in September isn’t the best idea.” According to an August study, Ohio State leads all major college football fan bases in size and, we assume, lack of interest in skipping a game to watch JD Vance speak in public.
It was suggested that Vance is making a play specifically for voters from the “Pennsylvania suburbs” in Youngstown. Penn State plays in the afternoon, freeing them up for a pleasant fascist evening with Trump and friends. However, Youngstown voters overwhelmingly backed Biden and Ryan in 2020. It’s not clear what these fools are thinking.
Vance might squeak out a victory yet but his suckiness is forcing Republicans to play defense and dump millions into a state they should’ve already put away by now. That helps Democrats hold the line in states such as Nevada and New Hampshire that Republicans had hoped to flip.
We consider this very good news indeed.
[ CenterStreetPac / Dispatch ]
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