Vance votes early in Ohio, weighs in on execution
Washington, Oct 10 (IANS/WISHAVWARTA) US Vice President JD Vance cast his ballot early in Ohio’s midterm elections on Friday, combining a return to his home state with campaign appearances and comments on the Pentagon’s controversial plan to livestream the execution of the Fort Hood shooter.
Vance visited the Hamilton County Board of Elections in Norwood, near Cincinnati, shortly after 12:30 p.m., where dozens of people were already casting their ballots, according to the vice presidential press pool.
The vice president entered the polling centre, presented what appeared to be voter identification and gave his name as “James David Vance” when asked by an election official.
He briefly chatted with officials before receiving his ballot and moving to a voting booth.
“Sorry guys, nobody look at my ballot,” Vance joked as journalists watched.
When a local reporter suggested that his political preferences were already obvious, Vance laughed.
“Yeah, but I don’t want you to know which judges I’m voting for,” he replied.
After spending approximately five minutes in the booth, Vance inserted his ballot papers into a voting machine.
Election staff applauded briefly as he thanked them and left the polling centre.
The voting stop came during a campaign trip to Ohio, where Vance was scheduled to participate in Republican election activities ahead of the November midterms.
Earlier, Air Force Two landed at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport.
The vice president subsequently visited his family’s home in the Cincinnati area before proceeding to the polling centre.
The day’s more substantive policy comments came during a brief interaction with reporters at the airport.
Asked about the Pentagon’s plan to livestream the execution of Nidal Malik Hasan, the former Army psychiatrist convicted of killing 13 people at Fort Hood in Texas in 2009, Vance expressed uncertainty about whether the broadcast would take place.
“I don’t know that that’s actually going to happen,” he told reporters.
The vice president was asked how the planned livestream aligned with his Christian faith.
Vance described Hasan’s actions as an exceptionally grave act of terrorism, pointing to the vulnerability of the soldiers he attacked.
He said Hasan had targeted military personnel whom he was supposed to help as a psychiatrist.
“But what I try to remind people is, look, this is a guy who committed, in my view, the worst terrorist attack on American soil outside of 9/11,” Vance said.
He nevertheless made clear that he would not personally watch the execution if it were broadcast.
“Now that said, I mean, look, if it’s through live stream, I’m not going to be watching it,” he said.
Vance did not explicitly oppose the Pentagon’s plan or call for its cancellation.
His remarks came on the same day that Indian-American Congressman Suhas Subramanyam criticised the proposed livestream, describing it as “blatantly un-American” and calling for Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth’s removal.
Subramanyam argued that broadcasting an execution would damage America’s international standing and set a dangerous precedent.
Following the airport interaction, Vance continued his journey to Allen County in Ohio.
The vice president’s trip came as Republicans and Democrats intensified their efforts to mobilise voters ahead of the November congressional elections.
Early voting allows eligible Americans to cast their ballots before Election Day under procedures established by individual states.
The November elections will determine control of the House of Representatives and Senate, shaping the legislative environment for the remaining two years of US President Trump’s term.
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