In Racine, JD Vance responds to backlash from Madison Square Garden rally

During a campaign stop in Racine Monday night, Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance responded to the backlash against comments made during a Trump rally at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

During Sunday’s rally, some speakers made racist jokes and comments. Among the controversial comments were a series of disparaging jokes from comedian Tony Hinchcliffe targeting Latino and Black people, including a statement calling Puerto Rico “a floating island of garbage.”

Vice President Kamala Harris spoke out against those comments while talking to reporters Monday. Former President Donald Trump’s campaign and some Republicans sought to distance themselves from the remarks at the event.

However, during a rally at Memorial Hall in Racine Monday night, Vance attempted to downplay the event and said he believes it won’t have any impact on the outcome of the election.

“A comedian made a joke, and I don’t think that’s news worth making,” Vance said.

Vance also claimed Hinchcliffe had “no affiliation” with the Trump campaign.

“I’m a hell of a lot more offended that my fellow Americans can’t afford to buy groceries or pay their credit card debt,” Vance said. “That’s more offensive than what a comedian said at Madison Square Garden.”

Vance spoke for around 45 minutes to over 500 supporters Monday. He touched on issues both he Trump have hit on in the campaign, including the economy, the southern border and inflation.

“I think you’d all join me in saying, ‘Let’s get back to the common sense economic policies of Donald J. Trump. Let’s get back to prosperity in the state of Wisconsin and all across the United States,’” Vance told the crowd.

It’s the second time in less than a week that Memorial Hall has been used for a campaign stop. Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz spoke there last week.

Before his stop in Racine, Vance was in Wausau for a campaign event at the Wausau Downtown Airport. Trudy Hittner of Kronenwetter was one of the voters there. She said her top issue this election is closing the southern border and she attended because she wants to help Trump’s campaign.

“I’m just here to get fired up with the crowd and get the momentum going, and spread the word, if I can, after,” Hittner said.

Walz was also in Wisconsin Monday, speaking to union members in Manitowoc. He held a political event in Waukesha later in the day.

Both campaigns have been flooding swing states including Wisconsin during the final stretch of the campaign. Along with the events with the vice presidential candidates Monday, Harris is scheduled to hold a rally in Madison Wednesday, and former President Bill Clinton will be campaigning for her in the state Thursday. Trump has two rallies scheduled this week, speaking to voters near Green Bay on Wednesday and in Milwaukee on Friday. 

Hallie Jennerman, director of organizing for the Sheet Metal Workers union Local 18 in Waukesha, attended the Walz event in Manitowoc. He said he’s worried about what the future of the country will look like if Trump wins the election.

“I think he’s (Trump) gonna get rid of the Department of Education. I think all of our public schools are gonna eventually get closed,” Jennerman said. “I think he’s going to tax the middle class even more than he already has, and the rich won’t pay taxes, and our economy is going to be upside down, and a lot of people are going to suffer.”

The most recent Marquette University Law School poll found Harris was narrowly leading Trump 48 percent to 47 percent among likely voters in the race. That same poll also found the economy was the top issue for registered voters.

Editor’s note: WPR’s Rob Mentzer and Joe Schultz contributed to this report.