JD Vance on Ohio Senate race: Not sure the polls are 'that tight'
Ohio Senate candidate JD Vance comments on his political opponent Tim Ryan and discusses where he stands on abortion and Ukraine ahead of the 2022 midterm elections on 'The Story with Martha MacCallum.'
Ohio Republican Senate candidate JD Vance accused Democratic opponent Rep. Timothy Ryan of using "canned" responses and not addressing the substance of the moderators' questions during Monday's debate on "The Story" Tuesday
Vance, a venture capitalist whose impoverished upbringing was recently explored in his memoir-turned-Ron Howard film "Hillbilly Elegy", claimed onFox News that Ryan has grown complacent in his 20 years in office.
"The thing I really enjoyed about [the debate] was just that it was very clear that [Ryan] had a few particular canned lines," Vance told host Martha MacCallum.
"He had a few particular talking points, but he couldn't actually address the substance of almost any question. And I think it's pretty pathetic that after 20 years, the guy just doesn't care about the details of public policy."
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JD Vance, co-founder of Narya Capital Management LLC and US Republican Senate candidate for Ohio. (Gaelen Morse/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Vance further said Ryan did not appear to "care" about details or "getting things done [to] explain his record of failure."
During the debate, Vance repeatedly tried to contrast Ryan's term in the House with the elapsed economic downturn and employment outsourcing in his blue-collar district near the Pennsylvania border.
He also argued Ryan voted in line with President Biden nearly "100 percent of the time." When Ryan brought up Vance's pro-life stance, the Republican shot back that the congressman's opposition to border wall funding could have prevented an illegal immigrant from raping an Ohio child who made national news for having to leave the state in order to legally have an abortion.
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U.S. Senate candidate Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Ohio, speaks at the UAW Local 12 union rally in Toledo, Ohio (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
In response to claims about his voting record, Ryan said he wants "generational change" in both parties' leadership, citing Donald Trump, 76, a nearly-80-year-old President Biden and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, 80.
When pressed by Vance on whether he would support 71-year-old Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y. to retain his seat as Senate Majority Leader, Ryan did not give a direct answer.
"The problem for Tim Ryan is that his TV commercials are telling lies. They're telling a story that he's a moderate when in fact, in fact, he votes with Joe Biden, Biden and Nancy Pelosi 100% of the time. So I'm not surprised by is that Ryan is complaining that he's not getting even more money," Vance later added.
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Former President Donald Trump welcomes JD Vance, Republican candidate for U.S. Senator for Ohio, to the stage at a campaign rally in Youngstown, Ohio., Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Tom E. Puskar) ( )
"He's gotten a lot of support and he's used that support to try to pull one over on us in Ohio."
When the topic of January 6 was broached by Ryan, Vance responded by pressing him on comments that the "extremist" movement on the right must be "kill[ed] and confront[ed]."
Ryan said he was not speaking about Trump supporters or humans in general, but that the collective "movement" on what he saw as the far right must be stopped.
At the time of his original remarks, Ryan added that it is important to value and work with "normal, mainstream Republicans."
Martha MacCallum said Ryan has been invited to "The Story" to respond to Vance.