On the evening of July 22, vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance spoke to an enthusiastic, packed-out crowd at Radford University.
Just a week earlier, on July 15, former President Trump placed Vance on the national stage by tapping him to be his running mate. Vance has garnered attention earlier for his remarkable rags-to-riches life story that he chronicled in his 2016 autobiography, Hillbilly Elegy, that in 2020 was made into a movie directed by Ron Howard.
Vance was elected to the US Senate from Ohio in 2022. Some critics claim that less than two years in the Senate is a questionable qualification to run for vice president. Supporters however counter that Barack Obama was only elected to the Senate from Illinois in 2004, then in 2008 ran for president, and that Trump never held elected office before being elected president in 2016. Moreover, they point out that Vance served in the US Marines where he saw combat in Iraq and as a venture capitalist, two experiences neither Obama nor Trump ever had.
Faye Curren, Treasurer of the Salem Republican Committee, attended the July 22 Vance rally. When asked why she attended, she replied, “To see the future vice president and hear what J.D. Vance had to say to the citizens of Southwest Virginia and to once again experience the excitement of being with so many America-loving patriots at a rally. You always make new friends at a rally.”
Curren’s main takeaways from the event: “When Vance talked about loyalty, family, duty and honor, that spoke loudly to me. Vance called for unity by welcoming Democrats and Independents to the Republican Party for a better life. His promise was he and President Trump will fight to restore an America that works for us, our children and grandchildren. I think that is what everyone, regardless of party, is looking for. We want our America back.”
Curren described the vibe of the crowd this way: “We were in line very early to get a good seat and the line grew quickly. The people were excited to be there with most everyone in patriotic attire along with Trump / Vance shirts and hats. I met some new people in line that wanted to know how to get involved. This rally was no different than the other Trump rallies I have been to, just a little smaller. People were excited to be there and looking forward to hearing J.D. Vance. We hope President Trump and Vance will have a big rally somewhere in Southwest Virginia soon.”
After the colossal security failure July 13 at the rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where a bullet missed President Trump’s head by about 2 cm and killed one attendee (retired firefighter Corey Comperatore) and wounded two more, many are questioning the competence of the leadership of the US Secret Service and may fear attending political events, but Curren reported having no apprehension.
“I had no hesitation about going to the rally, but my head was on a swivel more than usual. There was heavy security with law enforcement everywhere plus guys with big weapons on the top of the building. Law enforcement did a great job making you feel safe and I always thank them for being there when leaving. Fear will never stop me from attending a rally and will never stop me from going to vote. Some local news reported and showed pictures of protestors but I did not see any protests going to or leaving the rally.”
Curren criticized some other local news sources for misrepresenting the event as she experienced it. “Other media put such a negative spin on the rally and the only negatives were the people who came later could not get inside the building and there were no food or drink vendors while we were waiting for hours in line. We came prepared with food and drink.”
The last time a majority of the Old Dominion voted for a Republican for president was for George W. Bush in 2004. However, Vance scheduling a rally in Radford just four days after the end of the GOP convention in Milwaukee indicates the Trump campaign has polling that shows Virginia is in play. Moreover, the location also shows the strategic importance of Southwest Virginia in the race. Our region provided big enough lopsided margins of victory to help offset Democrat votes in Northern Virginia and propel Glenn Younkin, Winsome Sears, and Jason Miyares to win in 2021.
Curren summed up her experience at the event this way: “Was a fun day – and I look forward to the next one.”
–Scott Dreyer