Democrats Shift Focus to VP Vance Ahead of 2028 Race

Kentucky governor criticizes Vance's shift from his memoir's message in Ohio visit

Mar. 22, 2026 at 12:33pm

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Democrats are increasingly training their sights on Vice President JD Vance rather than former President Donald Trump, seeing Vance as a potential 2028 presidential contender. In the latest example, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear visited Vance's home county in Ohio and criticized the vice president for abandoning the communities he wrote about in his acclaimed memoir.

Why it matters

Vance, a rising Republican star, is seen by many Democrats as a more formidable potential 2028 presidential candidate than the aging Trump. By targeting Vance now, Democrats hope to define him negatively and blunt his momentum before the next White House race heats up.

The details

During his Ohio visit, Beshear said Vance had "turned his back" on the working-class communities he highlighted in his bestselling book "Hillbilly Elegy." Beshear accused Vance of prioritizing his own political ambition over the needs of his constituents.

  • On Saturday night, March 22, 2026, Gov. Beshear visited Vance's home county in Ohio.

The players

JD Vance

The current Vice President of the United States and a rising star in the Republican Party, known for his memoir "Hillbilly Elegy" which chronicled the struggles of working-class communities.

Andy Beshear

The Democratic Governor of Kentucky, who traveled to Ohio to criticize Vice President Vance.

Donald Trump

The former President of the United States, who remains a top Democratic target but is increasingly overshadowed by Vance as a Republican contender.

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What they’re saying

“Vice President Vance has turned his back on the very communities he wrote about in his book.”

— Andy Beshear, Governor of Kentucky

The takeaway

Democrats are shifting their focus from the aging Trump to the rising Vance, seeing the vice president as a more formidable potential 2028 presidential contender. By criticizing Vance's perceived abandonment of his book's message, they hope to define him negatively and blunt his momentum before the next White House race.