Where is Usha? JD Vance’s wife follows Melania’s example

Given some of JD Vance’s gaffes when talking about women, you’d think it would improve his image if his successful wife spoke on his behalf.

But since her husband became Donald Trump’s running mate at the Republican National Convention more than a month ago, Usha Vance has largely followed Melania Trump’s lead and remained silent during the campaign.

Asked for more details about Usha’s appearances, Taylor Van Kirk, a spokesperson for Senator Vance, told the Daily Beast: “Usha has appeared at multiple campaign events with her husband and is literally with him on the campaign trail today. What a silly story.”

But the lawyer has not taken the same active role as Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz’s wife, Gwen. While the Democrat has headlined fundraisers and used her “teacher voice” to criticize the Republican ticket, Vance’s interventions have been mostly limited to smiles and “nice to meet you” expressions.

Vance has been at her husband’s side on at least seven occasions since the Republican National Convention, including an event in Reno and at the Milwaukee Police Association. She greeted voters at a restaurant in St. Cloud, Minnesota, in July and last week joined him at Gordon’s Butcher & Market in Erie, Pennsylvania — a somewhat ironic location for the would-be second lady.

“My wife is a vegetarian, I’m obviously not,” the senator said. “It’s funny that we go to a place like this and they say, ‘Well, maybe you shouldn’t bring your wife here, because she’s a vegetarian.’ And I say, ‘No, no, no, she loves this stuff.’”

Local media covered the senator’s visit, but illustrated it with a photo that did not include his wife.

She has spoken publicly at length only a few times: She introduced her husband at the Republican National Convention and sat down with Fox News a month ago, where she defended her controversial comment about “cat ladies.”

“The reality is that he made a joke to make a point that he wanted to make and that was substantial,” he said. “And it had real meaning. Sometimes, I wish people would talk about that stuff and we would spend a lot less time going over this or that three-word phrase.”

Of course, she has other responsibilities. Vance only resigned from her firm in July, after her husband joined the Republican ticket, saying, “In light of today’s news, I have resigned from my position at Munger, Tolles & Olson to focus on raising our family.”

The couple has three children under the age of 8, including a 2-year-old daughter.

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