‘This time it’s Haitians, next time it might be Indians’: Lincoln Project targets J.D. Vance in new ad

The Lincoln Project, a political action committee known for its strong opposition to Donald Trump and Trump-supporting Republicans, has released a new ad targeting Republican vice-presidential nominee J.D. Vance. The minute-long advertisement questions Vance’s character and highlights his controversial stance on immigration, calling out what it describes as hypocrisy in his personal life.

The ad begins by pointing out Vance’s pattern of stirring up anti-immigrant sentiments, saying, “Everywhere he goes, he stirs up hate against immigrants.” Ironically, it emphasizes that Vance himself is married to a woman who is the daughter of immigrants, making his rhetoric even more questionable. The ad reminds viewers of Vance’s past as a vocal critic of Trump, playing a clip of him saying, “I’m a never Trump guy, I never liked him,” to further illustrate his shift in political allegiances.

READ: Usha Vance says media has created a “caricature” of her (August 5, 2024)

Referring to recent events in Springfield, the ad describes how children are now under armed guard and school photos have been canceled due to heightened tensions caused by Vance’s remarks. The voiceover warns, “This time it’s Haitians, next time it might be Indians,” suggesting that his inflammatory rhetoric could eventually target other immigrant communities, including those tied to his own family.

The ad closes by questioning Vance’s integrity, pointing out that he has profited from criticizing his own hometown and family while now using anti-immigrant rhetoric despite his own wife’s immigrant background. The Lincoln Project frames the issue not as a political one, but as a matter of “basic decency,” concluding with the line, “His neighbors and his own family can’t trust J.D. Vance. Why should America?”

The ad underscores the PAC’s strategy of personalizing its attacks, aiming to portray Vance as a man willing to turn on both his community and his own family for political gain.

The Lincoln Project, founded in 2019 by former Republicans opposing Donald Trump and Trumpism, has gained a reputation for its provocative ads over the past two presidential election cycles. The group aims to undermine candidates they view as damaging to American democracy, particularly those aligned with Trump. With this latest ad, they continue their efforts, now focusing on Vance and his controversial positions.

READ: Usha Vance steps into the spotlight at the Republican National (July 18, 2024)

During the 2020 presidential election, the group’s primary goal was to prevent Trump’s re-election and to defeat Republican incumbents who were staunch Trump supporters. In April 2020, the committee officially endorsed Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden. Since 2022, the Lincoln Project has shifted its focus to stopping Trump’s potential return to office in the 2024 election, endorsing Democratic nominee Kamala Harris.