On Monday, a Minnesota congressman tried to pick a fight with Republican vice-presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance (R-OH) and instantly regretted it.
Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN), who ran an unsuccessful primary campaign against President Joe Biden that was stopped by the Democrat National Committee (DNC), picked a fight with Vance on X — but somehow, it was ultimately Vice President Kamala Harris who ended up being the loser.
The fight began in response to a Star Tribune article promoted on X by the reporter who wrote it, Ryan Faircloth.
“VP nominee JD Vance visited Minneapolis on Monday and portrayed it as a city in decline, echoing Trump’s comments about Detroit,” Faircloth wrote.
He then quoted Vance as stating: “The story of Minneapolis is coming to every community across the [U.S.] if we promote Kamala Harris to president.”
VP nominee JD Vance visited Minneapolis on Monday and portrayed it as a city in decline, echoing Trump’s comments about Detroit. “The story of Minneapolis is coming to every community across the [U.S.] if we promote Kamala Harris to president,” Vance said. https://t.co/YoZ5olnTt9
— Ryan Faircloth (@RyanFaircloth) October 14, 2024
Because of Faircloth’s exaggeration of Vance’s comments, which Phillips took as a literal quote, he jumped in to respond, attacking the Republican VP nominee directly.
“Shame on you @JDVance for coming to our community and calling us a city in decline. George Floyd’s murder and COVID’s destruction occurred under your emperor’s reign, and you’ve done NOTHING to help. Take your fear-mongering freak show back to lovely Cleveland,” he whined.
Shame on you @JDVance for coming to our community and calling us a city in decline.
George Floyd’s murder and COVID’s destruction occurred under your emperor’s reign, and you’ve done NOTHING to help.
Take your fear-mongering freak show back to lovely Cleveland. https://t.co/AZswoADoOv
— Dean Phillips (@deanbphillips) October 14, 2024
Vance quickly responded to Phillips’ post, pointing out that he was falsely framing his remarks based on the journalist’s editorializing.
“I never used the phrase ‘city in decline.’ It was editorializing from a journalist. What I did say: Minneapolis has suffered greatly,” Vance explained before turning to attacking Minnesota Democrats — especially the Democrat vice-presidential nominee, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D), for allowing rioters to destroy Minneapolis during the George Floyd riots.
“And not because of ‘George Floyd’s murder,’ but because politicians like you allowed rioters to loot and burn, causing $500 million in damage,” he added.
I never used the phrase "city in decline." It was editorializing from a journalist.
What I did say: Minneapolis has suffered greatly. And not because of "George Floyd's murder," but because politicians like you allowed rioters to loot and burn, causing $500 million in damage. https://t.co/H4yIKDWYsA
— JD Vance (@JDVance) October 15, 2024
Phillips’ attack gave Vance the exact opening he needed in order to torch Harris, allowing him to then tie the Democrat presidential nominee to the rioting and destruction in Minneapolis.
“If you want to let people burn down cities, harass police officers, and allow violent crime to nearly double, vote for Dean’s buddy Kamala Harris. If you want to support our law enforcement and the people who depend on them for safety, vote for Donald J. Trump,” he wrote.
If you want to let people burn down cities, harass police officers, and allow violent crime to nearly double, vote for Dean's buddy Kamala Harris.
If you want to support our law enforcement and the people who depend on them for safety, vote for Donald J. Trump.
— JD Vance (@JDVance) October 15, 2024
