JD Vance’s claim vice presidential candidates don’t ‘really matter’ in election is the ultimate self-own

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Sen JD Vance (R-Ohio) has opted to downplay his own significance in the upcoming election in the face of extreme scrutiny coming his way since being named the Republican vice presidential candidate in July, reported Politico.

Vance's reflection on the role of the vice resident was in response to a question he was asked on the 'Full Send Podcast' about how he was sizing up his potential counterparts in the Democratic party. Hosted by Canadian YouTuber Kyle Forgeard, the episode was released on Friday, August 2.

JD Vance's comments on role of running mate

"My attitude is, it doesn’t really matter, as much as this hits my ego,” JD Vance told Kyle Forgeard on the show.

"People are going to vote primarily for Donald Trump or for Kamala Harris. That’s the way these things go."

"I think my job over the next few months is to just drive home the message that Kamala Harris has been a bad vice president, and she’d be a worse president.”

While he voiced the often unspoken understanding in politics that the vice president is more of a symbolic role, Vance also commented on those he considered potential picks of Democratic nominee Kamala Harris as a running mate.

“There’s a lot of rumors that it’s going to be this guy Tim Walz … He seems really angry,” Vance said of the Minnesota governor, before focusing on Pennsylvania Gov Josh Shapiro who is rumored to be a frontrunner.

"I’ve seen a lot of clips of him talk, and he talks like Barack Obama,” Vance said of Shapiro. “It’s like if I tried to do a really bad impression of Barack Obama, that’s what it would sound like.”

Donald Trump downplays role of vice president in election

During his appearance at the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) convention in Chicago that was marred with controversies earlier this week, Donald Trump shared his take on the role of a vice presidential candidate in an election, which was along the lines of JD Vance's remark.

“Historically, the vice president, in terms of the election, does not have any impact,” said the former president.

“I mean, virtually no impact … virtually never has it mattered.”

“You’re voting for the president, and you can have a vice president who is outstanding in every way,” he added. “And I think JD is, I think that all of them would have been, but you’re not voting that way. You’re voting for the president.”