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By Adeola Adeosun
Weekend Night Editor
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As controversy continues to swirl around JD Vance's selection as former President Donald Trump's running mate, Republican strategist Susan Del Percio predicted on Saturday that the Ohio senator may attempt to "downplay" his involvement in the 2024 presidential campaign.
Her prediction comes amid growing concerns about Vance's impact on the Trump ticket, with recent polls indicating he could potentially hinder the former president's reelection chances.
"I think at the end of the day, he'll just do what he has to, but I think he's taken a few lumps on the head and will kind of downplay his role on the campaign," Del Percio said during an interview appearance on MSNBC's The Katie Phang Show on Saturday.
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Newsweek has contacted the Trump-Vance campaign for comment via email on Saturday for comment.
The controversy surrounding Vance stems in part from past remarks he made that have resurfaced since his vice presidential nomination. In a 2021 interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, he made contentious comments about single "cat ladies" and childless politicians, specifically targeting Vice President Kamala Harris and other prominent Democrats.
Despite facing criticism, Vance has stood firm on his statements, recently telling Megyn Kelly on her SiriusXM show, "I know the media wants to attack me and wants me to back down on this, Megyn, but the simple point that I made is that having children, becoming a father, becoming a mother, I really do think it changes your perspective in a pretty profound way."
Meanwhile, a recent poll by Florida Atlantic University and Mainstreet Research USA conducted between July 26 and 27 reveals that Vance has a net approval rating of -3 percentage points among registered voters. The survey found that 44 percent of respondents viewed Vance unfavorably compared to 41 percent who held a favorable opinion.
These numbers have raised eyebrows among political analysts, with some suggesting that Vance's presence on the ticket could potentially harm Trump's campaign.
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Kevin Wagner, an American politics professor at Florida Atlantic University, previously commented on the poll results and said, "Vance's approval ratings are significantly trailing President Trump's. It's early, but instead of lifting the ticket, the selection of Vance as his vice president may be a drag on Trump's reelection chances."
The poll also highlighted a significant gap between Trump and Vance's favorability ratings, with 49 percent of voters viewing Trump favorably. This disparity has led some experts to question the wisdom of Trump's VP selection.
However, the Trump campaign maintains a united front. In a previous statement to Newsweek, Trump's communications director, Steven Cheung, dismissed reports of reconsideration and said, "President Trump is thrilled with the choice he made with Senator Vance to be his running mate, and they are the perfect team to take back the White House."
While Trump has defended his running mate, he has also downplayed Vance's potential impact on the election. At the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) conference in Chicago this week, the former president said, "This is well-documented, historically, the vice president in terms of the election does not have any impact, virtually no impact."
The political landscape has shifted dramatically since Vance's nomination, with President Joe Biden withdrawing from the 2024 race on July 21 and endorsing Harris as the Democrats' presumptive presidential candidate. The Florida Atlantic University poll shows Harris and Trump in a tight race, with both garnering 46 percent support among registered voters in a head-to-head matchup.
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