The 2024 vice presidential candidates have been chosen by the presidential nominees, with Sen. JD Vance selected by former President Donald Trump as his running mate on the Republican ticket, and Gov. Tim Walz selected by Vice President Kamala Harris as her running mate. Walz and Vance have aligned views and policies with their respective running mates, but differ significantly on key issues that are important to many Americans.
On the issue of immigration, Walz has been a proponent of a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants and has supported sanctuary policies and legislation giving illegal immigrants more rights in the U.S. Vance, on the other hand, supports securing the southern border through the resumption of construction of the border wall and has criticized the Biden administration’s approach to the crisis at the border.
In terms of abortion, Vance has expressed support for “some minimum national standard” and recently endorsed the accessibility of the abortion pill mifepristone. Walz has signed legislation protecting reproductive rights and codifying abortion into the Minnesota state Constitution, as well as establishing protections for individuals traveling out of state for abortions.
Regarding the Second Amendment, Walz supports imposing more restrictions on firearms, including enacting an AR-15 ban, while Vance is a strong supporter of the Second Amendment and has pushed back against the Biden administration’s stance on gun control. Vance’s candidacy has been endorsed by the National Rifle Association of America (NRA).
On the issue of Israel, both Vance and Walz have expressed support for the country’s right to exist and defend itself. Vance has advocated for continued U.S. funding to the IDF, while Walz has also sympathized with those in Gaza who may be impacted by the conflict.
In terms of social issues, Walz has signed legislation providing free menstrual products in schools and establishing Minnesota as a “trans refuge state” for individuals seeking transgender surgical procedures and hormone prescriptions. Vance has introduced legislation to make gender reassignment surgery on minors a felony and has been vocal in his belief that there are only two genders, opposing efforts to allow passports to reflect gender identity rather than biological sex.
In conclusion, the 2024 vice presidential candidates, Tim Walz and JD Vance, have contrasting views on key issues such as immigration, abortion, the Second Amendment, Israel, and social issues. Their positions on these topics align with those of their respective running mates, reflecting broader ideological differences within the Republican and Democratic parties. Voters will have a choice between two candidates with divergent views on these critical issues in the upcoming election.
