JD Vance on Young Americans Struggling in Biden-Harris Economy: ‘They’re Worried About the Basics’

Americans are paying more for gas, groceries, and housing under the Biden-Harris administration — a factor Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance hopes will drive young voters to support former President Donald Trump in November.

During a Wednesday interview with Vance on The Charlie Kirk Show, Charlie Kirk noted that 39-year-old Vance could allow Republicans to have “a new outreach to younger voters” and asked Vance what his message is “to young women who like the way that [Vice President Kamala Harris] dances on TikTok — meanwhile, 88,000 kids are missing and trafficked into America on her watch — and also your message to young male voters?”

“It’s pretty simple. I talk to my friends and my family who are sort of my age, maybe a little bit younger. They’re worried about the basics. They’re worried about whether they can afford to buy a house,” Vance replied. “They’re worried about starting a family and whether they can afford the groceries and the housing costs that come along with bringing new life into the world. They’re worried about whether they can raise their kids in an environment that’s safe and secure and not overrun by illegal aliens who are committing violent crime.”

Vance added that the “basic pitch” to young Americans is that they will have a better quality of life if former President Donald Trump is elected and reinstates his border and economic policies. 

“So I think the basic pitch that we have to make is we believe, meaning the President Trump-JD Vance ticket, believes that you should be able to raise your kids in safe neighborhoods. You should be able to afford a home. You should be able to buy groceries and put a nice meal on the table at a reasonable price. And that is what we’re going to advance and argue the whole rest of the way,” he said. 

“…If you’re a young voter in this economy with interest rates skyrocketing, how can you possibly afford to buy a house? I have people who have worked for me, Charlie, who make good salaries, and they can’t afford to buy a house in the Kamala Harris economy,” he added. “So if you were to turn the page on that and get back to an economy where you can afford to live a decent life, you have to vote for President Trump.”

On Sunday, President Joe Biden dropped out of the presidential race and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris — despite her failed 2020 presidential run and her history of having lower poll numbers than the 81-year-old president. 

So far, Harris has lower ratings with young voters than former President Donald Trump. A left-leaning Quinnipiac poll released on Monday found that 55 percent of voters ages 18 to 34 have an “unfavorable” opinion of Harris, compared to 40 percent who feel the same about Trump. However, young voters have a higher opinion of Harris than 81-year-old Biden, with 67 percent of young voters saying they have an “unfavorable” opinion of him.