TUCSON, Ariz. — During a campaign stop on Wednesday afternoon, Senator JD Vance addressed a crowd of supporters, stating that former President Trump’s message to undocumented immigrants is clear: “Pack your bags. Because in four months, you’re going home.”
Earlier in the day, about fifteen miles north, Governor Tim Walz told his supporters that Vice President Kamala Harris would advocate for “an earned pathway to citizenship for those who’ve lived here in this country for years.”
In a span of roughly six hours, these two vice-presidential candidates highlighted the stark differences in how Democrats and Republicans approach one of the major electoral issues this year: immigration and border security.
Senator JD Vance spoke at the Tucson Speedway on a hot Wednesday afternoon, while Governor Tim Walz addressed supporters at Palo Verde Magnet High School.
Vance and Trump’s campaign focus heavily on securing the southern border and criticizing many immigrants, often using misleading or false statements. In contrast, Harris and Walz emphasize stricter measures on asylum claims and illegal crossings while showing compassion for the millions of immigrants in the U.S., many of whom fled their home countries seeking a better life.
These visits underscore Arizona’s significance, as President Joe Biden narrowly won the state in 2020. Pima County, where Tucson is located, tends to lean Democratic; Biden won it by over 18 percentage points in 2020, an increase from Hillary Clinton’s victory in 2016. Harris is scheduled to campaign in Arizona on Thursday night, while Trump will hold an event there on Sunday.
A recent poll of likely voters in Arizona revealed that 40 percent believe immigration and border security is the most critical issue influencing their voting decisions in November. Voters in the state have also shown greater trust in Republicans than Democrats regarding border issues, making it a top concern in a border state like Arizona.
Vance began his day at the Tucson Speedway, taking the stage 15 minutes early and speaking for about 20 minutes. He chose to shorten his remarks due to the intense heat at the outdoor venue and addressed several hundred attendees without a teleprompter. He expressed confidence that Republicans would win the state, standing in front of large statues of cacti dressed in sunglasses and cowboy hats.
Vance’s speech primarily focused on criticizing Harris. He showed attendees a clip of her declining to separate herself from Biden during an interview on “The View.” He accused her of contributing to rising food, energy, and housing costs and claimed she cannot solve problems she helped create. Although he did not mention Walz during this event, he discussed him later that day at a gathering in Mesa.
“Tucson is facing a historic border crisis and a historic increase in crime, fentanyl trafficking, and human trafficking,” Vance stated. “Kamala Harris bears the failures. She is responsible for the shortcomings of the Biden administration. Don’t let her escape from her record.” He emphasized that “the wide-open southern border has impacted Tucson more than any other community in our country.”
Supporters at Vance’s event held signs such as “Trump secure border Kamala open border” and “Latino Americans for Trump.” Many wore shirts featuring Trump shortly after he survived an assassination attempt earlier this year. Outside the venue, vendors offered merchandise, including shirts depicting Trump in a mariachi outfit.
Bob Padgett, a 79-year-old attendee from Oro Valley, praised Vance as “very bright” and “authentic,” stating that his success story is impressive. When asked about Walz’s nearby appearance, Padgett dismissed him with a single word: “Dope.” He cited inconsistencies in Walz’s record, specifically a claim that Walz was in Hong Kong during the Tiananmen Square protests, which Walz later clarified was a mistake.
Walz eventually took the stage at Palo Verde High Magnet School, more than two hours late, after the gymnasium reached capacity. His crowd was larger than Vance’s, but hundreds of supporters waiting outside in 98-degree heat were turned away by event staff, who stated that the fire marshal had limited entry. Despite the delay, those inside the venue danced to Beyoncé and participated in the Cupid Shuffle.
Speaking off a teleprompter, Walz informed supporters that border crossings are lower now than they were during Trump’s presidency and that Harris attempted to negotiate a bipartisan border deal that Trump blocked for political reasons.
“This issue should not divide us. It should unite us. She wants a solution,” Walz said.
Walz further criticized Trump, stating, “[Trump] came down here and told you, ‘Oh, I’ll build a big, beautiful wall, and Mexico will pay for it.’ He had four years; he built about two percent of it. Mexico paid nothing.”
Unlike Vance, Walz directly attacked his opponent by name multiple times during his speech. He called out Vance for previously claiming that Haitian immigrants eat pets and for his stance on family separation during debates.
As attendees left the high school, they passed large flags reading “Keep abortion legal” and vendors selling buttons like “Dogs Against Trump” and “Cat Ladies for Kamala.” Walz’s supporters exhibited the same confidence as Vance’s fans earlier that day, both sides believing that Tucson is critical but within their grasp.
“I love him. He’s a down-to-earth, really good guy. He’s almost like the person that politicians want to pretend to be,” said Lori Gunnell, a 63-year-old supporter from Bisbee, expressing disdain for Vance. “I just think he’s creepy as hell. He’s opportunistic. He once said Trump was like Hitler, and now he’s his sidekick. I don’t trust him.”
Both vice-presidential candidates also aimed parts of their speeches at Latino voters, a crucial demographic that polls indicate may be shifting away from traditional Democratic support.
“Our message to Kamala Harris is, why don’t you show some compassion for your own citizens and your own people? Close down this border,” Vance urged. “Latinos, in particular, should be outraged by Kamala Harris’s open southern border. It insults those who came to this country legally and followed the rules.”
Walz’s rally coincided with the launch of a new campaign effort aimed at Latino men, called Hombres con Harris. Actor Jaime Camil addressed the crowd, stating, “There is so much at stake for Latino communities across the country, including our livelihoods, our healthcare, and our families.”
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