JD Vance to visit Grand Rapids Wednesday as battle for Michigan heats up

Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance will visit Byron Center, near Grand Rapids, on Wednesday, his third appearance in Michigan since being tapped as Donald Trump's running mate, highlighting the state's role as an important battleground state in the 2024 presidential election.

Vance will be speaking at Cordes Inc., a family-owned industrial trucking company located at 10100 Sedroc Industrial Drive.

Vance's appearance near Michigan's second-largest city comes a week after he visited Macomb County, delivering remarks to an audience at the Shelby Township Police Department composed mainly of the news media and high-ranking Republican officials. In that speech, Vance honed in on immigration and policing, attacking the Democratic presidential nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, and her newly-selected running mate, Tim Walz.

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It is unclear what Vance will talk about, but in a news release announcing the appearance, the campaign continued messaging about crime, inflation and immigration, slamming Harris and Walz as the cause of it.

According to the campaign's website, doors will open at 11 am, and Vance will begin speaking at 2 p.m. It will be Vance's second campaign appearance in western Michigan; he joined Trump at a July 20 rally in Grand Rapids.

Harris and Walz campaigned together in Michigan on Wednesday and Thursday as part of a multistate tour introducing Walz as her running mate.

News reporter Liam Rappleye can be reached at LRappleye@freepress.com