Vance says he doesn’t think Trump ‘needs to pivot,’ praises his ‘unscripted nature’

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Vance says media acted like Biden was 'Einstein,' aim to make Harris into 'second coming of Abraham Lincoln'

Republican vice-presidential nominee J.D. Vance told a crowd in New Kensington that the media sought to make President Biden look like "Einstein," and are now working to make Vice President Kamala Harris into the "second coming of Abraham Lincoln."

Ohio Sen. JD Vance told reporters Friday that he doesn’t think former President Trump "needs to pivot" with his campaign despite a number of recent polls showing Vice President Harris gaining ground. 

Vance, speaking at the Milwaukee Police Association, made the remark after a reporter said to him that "it seems like some allies of former President Trump have said in recent days he's to focus more on policy, just like you talked about, less personal attacks." 

"I'm curious, have you had that conversation with him and does he need to pivot, especially when you look to swing states like Wisconsin?" Vance was asked. 

"I don't think the president needs to pivot," the vice presidential candidate responded. "And if I told him that, I can guess what he'd say. I think that the reason that President Trump has been so successful connecting with Americans is even when they disagree with something that he might say, they know that he just is who he is, right?  

TRUMP RUNNING MATE VANCE AIMS TO TURN BLUE WALL STATES RED 

JD Vance speaks to reporters on Friday, Aug. 16 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Pool/Fox News)

"I'd much rather have a political candidate who I disagreed with 25% of the time, but was a real human being and was willing to speak off the cuff then to have somebody like Kamala Harris, who hides behind a teleprompter and doesn't speak to the American people directly unless she's got a script in front of her telling her exactly what to say," Vance continued. "I think the unscripted nature of President Trump is one of the reasons why his campaign gives a pretty good insight into the kind of president that he's going to be.  

"Now that said, we are focusing a lot on policy. We're here in Wisconsin today talking about public safety. I was in Pennsylvania yesterday talking about veterans' issues. I was in Michigan the day before, talking about how we have to stop the trade and energy policies that ship all of our manufacturing jobs to China," Vance added. 

"But my only advice to my running mate is be yourself and let people see who you are. And I think he's doing that every day on the campaign trail," he concluded. 

TRUMP HAS TAKEN 81 QUESTIONS AT PRESS CONFERENCES, INTERVIEWS COMPARED TO HARRIS’ 14 SINCE WALZ JOINED TICKET 

Former President Trump and vice presidential candidate U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, appeared on the first day of the Republican National Convention on July 15, 2024.  (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

In the most recent Fox News Poll, Trump is leading Harris nationally 50-49%. 

However, in polls released this past weekend by Siena College for the New York Times, Harris tops Trump by four points - 50% to 46% - among likely voters in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.  

Polling and data guru Nate Silver also said Wednesday on "Special Report" that "if you have the election tomorrow... I think Harris would be a slight favorite." 

"She has been ahead in most recent polling in the ‘blue wall’ states, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, Georgia, North Carolina, Arizona, Nevada all polling in the margin of error range," Silver said. 

Vice President Kamala Harris, left, and her running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is gaining ground against Trump in some recent polls. (RONDA CHURCHILL/AFP via Getty Images)

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"People should remember, though, two things," he added. "One, we have three more months to go. There will be more surprises. And two, the polls have been wrong before. In both the last two general elections they underestimated Trump." 

Fox News’ Paul Steinhauser and Yael Halon contributed to this report.