Tim Ryan Says J.D. Vance Lacks 'Courage,' Had 'Dignity' Taken by Trump

Tim Ryan, a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Ohio, has accused his Republican rival J.D. Vance of having his "dignity" taken by former President Donald Trump.

Ryan, currently a representative for Ohio's 13th Congressional District, made the remarks during a debate between the candidates on Monday. He accused the Hillbilly Elegy author, who was endorsed by Trump prior to the Republican primary, of lacking "courage," pointing out that Vance did not push back after the former president accused him of "kissing a**" during a rally in Ohio last month.

"I think the problem is when you have guys like J.D. Vance, who can't stand up to anybody," Ryan said during the debate. "Just a few weeks ago in Youngstown, on the stage Donald Trump said to J.D. Vance, 'All you do is kiss my a** to get my support.' He said that. That's bad, because that means J.D. Vance is going to do whatever he wants.

"Here's the thing that's most troubling about this lack of courage," he continued. "After Trump took J.D. Vance's dignity from him on the stage in Youngstown, J.D. Vance got back up onstage and started shaking his hand and saying, 'Hey aren't we having a good time here tonight' ... We need leaders who have courage to take on their own party."

Ryan brought up the issue again later in the debate, saying that he "doesn't kiss anyone's a**" like Vance and that "Ohio needs an a** kicker, not an a** kisser." Vance responded by calling Ryan's comment a "well-rehearsed line." Ryan has used the line before, having said something very similar during an MSNBC interview days after Vance's rally with Trump.

Vance was an outspoken critic of the former president and a self-described "never-Trump guy" prior to the 2016 presidential election. His views on Trump have changed significantly since then. Vance deleted social media posts that were critical of the former president after becoming a Senate candidate and has praised Trump while expressing regret for his prior remarks during the campaign.

While making his "a** kissing" remark at the rally in Youngstown last month, Trump also called Vance a "great person who I've really gotten to know" and boasted that "the entire MAGA movement is for J.D. Vance." He acknowledged that Vance had said "some bad things" about him, before adding, "but that was before he knew me and then he fell in love."

Paul Beck, professor emeritus of political science at Ohio State University, told Newsweek that he was not surprised that Ryan accused Vance of being an "a** kisser" in the debate. He said Trump's original remark "hurts" Vance and could influence the choice of undecided voters in a close contest, although Trump's base is likely to be unmoved.

"At the time Trump said it, I was appalled that Vance did not respond by denying the implication," said Beck. "It is just like Trump to demean even the candidates he supports. I think it hurts Vance, and I am not surprised to see Ryan bringing it to the attention of the debate audience, implying that we should want a senator who is an 'a** kisser.'"

"There are voters who may be undecided... and persuadable," he added, citing a new poll from Republican firm Cygnal, which shows that nearly 10 percent of voters are undecided.

The Cygnal poll also shows Vance leading Ryan by only 2 points, well within a 4 percent margin of error. An average of recent polls from RealClearPolitics finds Vance leading by a margin of only 1.4 percent.

The candidates are vying to replace retiring Republican Senator Rob Portman, who has endorsed Vance.

Newsweek reached out to the Vance campaign for comment.