“The ‘Crowd’ for JD Vance in Michigan: 10 Rows of 10 Seats?
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Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) visited Michigan on Wednesday, but the turnout at his campaign rally left much to be desired. According to tech correspondent Chris O’Brien, “If I’m being generous, that looks like 10 rows of 10 seats across on each side. So about a total of 200 people potentially?”
The rally, held in Byron Center, featured Vance standing in front of two trucks, one red and one blue, as he addressed the nation as the running mate of former President Donald Trump. Despite the prominence of the event, the crowd size became a focal point of discussion, particularly on social media.
Footage from C-Span and photographs shared by various reporters painted a picture of a sparsely attended rally. Commenter Alex Cole and Washington Post reporter Meryl Kornfield posted images showing empty folding chairs, particularly in the back rows. Kornfield observed that more attendees seemed to prefer staying in the shade, away from the main seating area.
“The photo of a virtually empty Vance rally going around doesn’t accurately depict the crowd size now,” Kornfield noted in a tweet at 1:30 p.m., suggesting that the turnout had improved slightly as the event progressed.
However, the overall impression remained underwhelming. Political scientist David Darmofal commented on Kornfield’s post, saying, “This still looks like a very bad turnout for a Vice Presidential nominee’s event. Maybe they’re under the shady trees. But it’s not like there’s a lot of seats there to begin with.”
The issue of crowd size has become a significant talking point in recent weeks, especially as newly energized Democratic voters have been gathering in large numbers at rallies for Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. In contrast, the turnout for Vance’s rally was notably smaller, adding to the scrutiny, told Yahoo.
Former President Trump has not been silent on the matter, boasting that his “Stop the Steal” rally on January 6, 2021, drew more people than Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have A Dream” speech. He even suggested, without evidence, that artificial intelligence had been used to inflate images of Harris’s rallies. After facing backlash from fellow conservatives, including former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, Trump walked back his claims, with Haley advising him to “quit whining” about the issue.
Despite the criticism, the discussion around the rally’s turnout continued. Activist Amy Siskind shared a photograph taken by New York Times reporter Chris Cameron, showing dozens of attendees and several empty chairs. Siskind’s caption read, “The ‘crowd’ for JD Vance in Michigan. Other than the press, there’s like 10 people there womp womp.” The lackluster turnout at Vance’s rally has sparked conversations about the enthusiasm—or lack thereof—among Republican voters as the 2024 campaign season progresses.
