'I get frustrated too': Vance adopts empathy pitch to stem GOP base erosion ahead of midterms

With signs of erosion among Republican base voters growing ahead of the US midterm elections, Vice President JD Vance is shifting his tone on the campaign trail. While President Donald Trump touts the American economy as a "golden age," Vance has been acknowledging voters' frustration over the cost of living and disappointment with policy results — telling supporters he, too, sometimes feels the same way.

As the White House faces a string of negative polls and the prospect of losing control of both chambers of Congress, Vance has been campaigning on messages of patience and empathy, Politico reported Tuesday (local time).

At recent campaign events, Vance has acknowledged that many Trump supporters are frustrated with the pace of change, saying he sometimes shares that frustration. He has urged voters to give the administration more time, while warning that conditions would worsen if Democrats returned to power.

That stands in sharp contrast to Trump, who has claimed the United States has "the hottest economy in the world," graded his own governance an "A+ in every way" and declared he has had the most successful first two years of any president in history, Politico noted. While Vance has not broken sharply from the party line, he has recalibrated his message — emphasizing that "there is still work to be done" rather than touting achievements, as voter discontent over the cost of living and the war with Iran grows and support for the Republican agenda wavers.

Politico said that directly acknowledging supporters' disappointment "is somewhat new for Vance, who has spent his relatively short political career channeling MAGA grievances." But with polls showing Republican enthusiasm lagging behind Democrats — and concern mounting that low-propensity voters who were crucial to Trump's return to the White House may be drifting away — Vance has opted for a softer touch, the outlet said.

At a campaign stop in southern Texas last week, Vance blamed the Biden administration and Democrats for the cost-of-living crisis, but also reached out to supporters by saying "I know there are people who feel frustrated by the pace of progress as we dig out of that hole — and honestly, sometimes I get frustrated too."

In Greensboro, North Carolina, he said he understood that Trump's supporters might not agree with everything that had happened over the past 20 months.

Vance has paired his empathy message with warnings that a Democratic return to power would make things worse.

Politico reported that Vance has been putting the slogan "Defend Our Future" front and center at recent rallies, arguing that even if voters do not yet feel the benefits, keeping Republicans in power is the better choice. The outlet described the combination of empathy and warning as the central message of Vance's recent Republican campaign appearances.

Vance has also leaned into his background growing up in a working-class family in Ohio. He frequently invokes his grandfather, a union welder, to underscore that he understands the realities facing communities that feel left behind by Washington.

Terry Schilling, president of the conservative American Principles Project, said it was "something he does very well." "Vance has authenticity, and I think that comes from his upbringing," Schilling said.

The White House has described the two men's messages as complementary. Trump leads with economic achievements and optimism, while Vance acknowledges voter frustration and makes the case for giving Republicans another chance.

A senior White House official likened Trump and Vance to a "one-two punch," calling the approach "very intentional and effective."

White House spokesperson Olivia Wales said Trump and Vance "are delivering the same message" — that if Republicans hold Congress and continue advancing Trump's agenda, "American families will have more money in their pockets and our borders and streets will be safer."

Vance's rhetorical shift comes as speculation grows about a potential 2028 presidential run. Analysts say the midterm results will have direct implications not only for Trump but for Vance's own political future.

Some Republican figures see Vance's aggressive national campaign schedule in recent weeks as a preview of a future presidential campaign. A former Trump administration official called it "a good narrative," saying Vance's background "puts him in a better position than President Trump to empathize with voters' hardships."

A person close to the White House said "President Trump is the ultimate salesman — the one who tells you why things are going to get better. Vance, by contrast, takes a more pragmatic approach."