Vance wants to raise awareness of crime at campaign event in Kenosha

Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance took the stage at a rally outside the district court in Kenosha on August 20.

Kenosha was the scene of several days of protests against police brutality that turned violent in 2020. Illinois teenager Kyle Rittenhouse shot three protesters during one of the demonstrations, killing two of them. A jury later acquitted Rittenhouse of manslaughter and endangerment charges after he argued he fired in self-defense. Republicans viewed him as a symbol of gun rights.

Vance used the situation to denounce Kamala Harris as soft on crime, saying that feeling safe is an American birthright and promising that he and Trump would abolish sanctuary cities for people living in the country illegally, deport violent offenders and support the death penalty for drug dealers.

He also called for tougher law enforcement and promised to end the number of frivolous lawsuits against the police.

“All this is common sense,” he said.

Vance also took questions directly from reporters in the press area. When asked for his opinion on the Democratic National Convention, which is being held just about 60 miles south in Chicago, Vance denounced that city's murder rate. He also criticized Harris for not answering questions from reporters as he did, but instead always making sure to keep a teleprompter between her and the audience.