J.D. Vance Puts Tim Ryan on Notice After Wriggling His Way Out of Border Security Question at Town Hall

Tuesday, Fox News held a Town Hall in Ohio. Tim Ryan and J.D. Vance each participated, letting people in the audience ask them questions. Ryan and Vance are both running for a hotly contested Ohio U.S. Senate seat.

Vance had some words for Ryan, who declared that he “absolutely” never wanted ICE defunded.

Vance shared a tweet showing a pledge made by Ryan in support of defunding ICE. Vance added, “What’s so sad about Tim Ryan isn’t his radicalism, but the lack of courage. He does whatever’s in fashion with the party bosses. Of course he’d do the same in the senate.”

What’s so sad about Tim Ryan isn’t his radicalism, but the lack of courage. He does whatever’s in fashion with the party bosses. Of course he’d do the same in the senate. https://t.co/mEoVSmuhJI

— J.D. Vance (@JDVance1) November 2, 2022

During the town hall, Ryan was asked, “You voted against funding for border security, you voted against funding for the border wall, you voted against funding for drug enforcement, and you called for defunding ICE, why?”

The audience clapped while Ryan said “I absolutely never called for defunding ICE…” then he tells the laughing audience “you can laugh all you want”.

Ohio Democrat Tim Ryan says he “absolutely never called for defunding ICE.”

Except he signed a pledge in 2019 to defund ICE, end ICE detainers, and decrease immigrant detention by 75%. pic.twitter.com/qwEhwAaMAm

— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) November 1, 2022

Here’s a recap video from the town hall.

Many have called Tim Ryan a Joe Biden rubber stamp who will placate moderate Republicans but vote for almost everything Joe Biden puts out. If that is the case, Ryan is playing on those who don’t do their research, and who only listen to campaign rhetoric.

All politicians put forth campaign rhetoric that they can’t usually completely back up. People are told what they want to hear during campaigns. Most people probably understand that, but they at least want to feel their candidates of choice have a similar values system as them so they can advocate for them in Washington D.C.

Sometimes comparing rhetoric that is currently being put out with past rhetoric with voting records is a good way to size up a candidate. Some people are new to politics like Donald Trump was in 2016 and don’t have a voting record, and they need to try harder to articulate their positions if their celebrity status doesn’t get them over the finish line.

Many predict a red wave with a possible U.S. Senate takeover by the GOP. Only time will tell if that manifests.