JD Vance Faces Empty Seats In Pennsylvania Campaign Event

JD Vance was met with multiple empty seats at a campaign event in the crucial swing state of Pennsylvania over the weekend. Donald Trump's running mate spoke at JWF Industries, a factory for military vehicles in the steel industry city of Johnstown, on Saturday. Photos from The Associated Press show rows of empty seats on one side of the venue, while Vance is on stage speaking.

The audience filled around half the seats in the venue, according to The New York Times journalist Chris Cameron, who was reporting from Johnstown. This turnout has raised questions about Vance's appeal and the effectiveness of his campaigning methods in a state that is pivotal for the upcoming election. Interestingly, while Vance's event had many vacant spots, his subsequent town hall meeting attracted more than 2,000 people, showcasing a contrasting narrative in his campaign strategy.

Conversely, Vance was met with a crowd of more than 2,000 people later that same day, when he held a town hall in an airport hangar in Reading, the local newspaper Reading Eagle reported. During this town hall, Vance discussed American manufacturing, issues facing small businesses, and how to make homes more affordable. The stark contrast in attendance between the two events indicates that while Vance may struggle with larger campaign rallies, he can still rally support in more intimate settings.

Although the crowd at JWF Industries was seemingly not big enough to fill out the whole venue, Vance was met with a lot of support there, in Cambria County, which Trump won by 38 points in 2020. When reporters questioned the Ohio senator about the 2020 election, asking whether Trump lost it or if it was "rigged," some supporters stood up on their chairs to boo the media, indicating a passionate response from attendees. Newsweek has contacted Vance's team, via email outside of normal working hours, for comment.

As the election approaches, the optics of rally crowd sizes have become a significant point of contention between Trump and his Democratic counterpart Kamala Harris. During their only presidential debate on September 10, hosted by ABC News, Harris targeted Trump’s crowd sizes, questioning the authenticity of his gatherings. She suggested that people leave his rallies due to exhaustion and boredom, highlighting a perception that Trump’s events lack engagement.

Trump responded vehemently, asserting that people do not leave his rallies and that they are the largest and most enthusiastic in political history. This back-and-forth over rally sizes reflects a broader strategy in election campaigning, where visual attendance can influence public perception and voter motivation.

Last week, both candidates had similarly-sized crowds in Colorado and Arizona. Trump appeared in front of a packed audience at the Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center in Aurora, Colorado, on Friday, while Harris attracted around 7,000 attendees at the Rawhide Event Center in Chandler, Arizona, on Thursday. Both venues list capacities of up to 10,000, and the contrasting turnouts at these events highlight the ongoing battle for voter engagement.

In summary, Vance's experiences at these campaign events reveal the complexities of political engagement in the current climate. As candidates strive to capture the attention and support of voters, the dynamics of crowd sizes and the narratives woven around them will undoubtedly play a critical role in shaping the electoral landscape.