Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH) went on the offensive during Monday’s U.S. Senate debate, casting opponent J.D. Vance (R) as a lackey for former President Donald Trump, who told rally-goers last month in Youngstown, Ohio that the Republican hopeful “is kissing my ass.”
Vance, the author of the best-selling Hillbilly Elegy, formerly opposed Trump, but ultimately supported him and was rewarded with the former president’s endorsement during the Republican primary.
Ryan is trying to win the seat occupied by retiring Sen. Rob Portman (R) in a state Trump won twice. The congressman has tried to portray himself as a maverick and has distanced himself from Democratic Party leaders who are unpopular in the Buckeye State.
During the debate, Ryan brought up the rally in Youngstown and ripped his GOP opponent:
Just a few weeks ago in Youngstown on the stage, Donald Trump said that J.D. Vance, all you do is kiss my ass to get my support. He said that. That’s bad, because that means J.D. Vance is gonna where he wants. Mitch McConnell’s given him $40 million. He’s gonna do what he wants. And Peter Thiel gave him $15 million. He’s gonna do what he wants. And here’s the thing that’s most troubling about this: the lack of courage.
After Trump took J.D. Vance’s dignity from him on the stage in Youngstown, J.D. Vance got back up on stage and started shaking his hand, taking pictures and saying, “Hey, aren’t we having a great time here tonight?”
I don’t know anybody I grew up with, I don’t know anybody I went to high school with, that would allow somebody to take their dignity like that and then get back up on stage. We need leaders who have courage to take on their own party, and I’ve proven that. And he was called an ass-kisser by the former president.
Toward the end of the debate, Ryan repeated the ass-kisser line.
“I’m for Ohio,” he said. “I don’t kiss anyone’s ass like him. Ohio needs an ass-kicker, not an ass-kisser.”
Tim Ryan Brutally Mocks GOP Opponent During Senate Debate (mediaite.com)