Vance blames Harris for high housing costs in interview with TMJ4
In a wide-ranging interview with TMJ4 News’ Charles Benson on Friday, vice presidential candidate JD Vance blamed Democratic candidate Kamala Harris for high housing costs and gave former President Donald Trump credit for lowering insulin costs.
Benson spoke with Vance before his scheduled speech at the Milwaukee Police Association headquarters, 6310 W. Bluemound Rd.
Housing costs
Vance argued that Harris was responsible for the high cost of housing in the United States because of her border policies and decisive votes in the U.S. Senate.
“Kamala Harris allowed 20 million illegal immigrants into the country to compete with Americans for the few housing options,” Vance said.
Watch: JD Vance gives an exclusive interview to Charles Benson of TMJ4 News:
Vance blames Harris for high housing costs in interview with TMJ4
Data from the Migration Policy Institute show that home ownership among illegal immigrants is 28 percent, or just over 3 million.
“Secondly, (Harris) cast several tie votes, which caused interest rates to rise, which of course makes mortgages completely unaffordable for American families,” Vance added.
Vance said that if Trump were elected, his administration would build more housing and “kick out the illegal immigrants who are competing with Americans for housing.”
Prices for prescription drugs
Many politicians have championed the idea of imposing a new $35 cap on insulin for many Americans, and Vance told Benson that President Trump should be the first to do so.
“All of the policies that drove the price of insulin to $35 per unit were actually implemented by Trump during his time in office, and now consumers are starting to see the benefits,” Vance said.
“Some of these things take a long time, but President Trump has done more to reduce costs under his leadership than any president in my lifetime.”
Vance also criticized the fact that American companies sell medicines in Europe at lower prices than Americans pay for them.
“There are American companies that sell medicines in Europe much cheaper than in the United States. Sometimes that means we have to re-import the products from Europe,” he said. “If European consumers pay less, American consumers should pay less too.”
Red Flag Laws
Vance explained to Benson that he was not fundamentally opposed to denying violent criminals access to weapons, but that certain conditions would have to be met.
“I think pretty much everyone agrees that you want to keep guns out of the hands of violent felons, but only after they’ve had a fair trial under the law,” said the Ohio senator. “We don’t want to take away anyone’s rights, whether it’s the right to bear a gun or the right to free speech, without due process.”
Vance said he and Trump would protect law-abiding gun owners while promoting public safety. He also said the key to reducing crime rates is locking up more people.
“If you look at the reason why murders and homicides have increased in recent years, it’s because we’re not locking up enough violent criminals. The vast majority of violent crimes are committed by a very, very small number of people.”
According to FBI data, the murder rate in 2024 is down more than 26 percent from 2023.
Trade and tariffs
Benson and Vance also discussed trade following recent news that Wisconsin-based Harley-Davidson is moving some of its production to Thailand.
Benson asked Vance if Trump’s call for higher tariffs on domestic workers should be a cause for concern. Vance said he supported the practice.
“Tariffs are one of the things that actually protect American workers in manufacturing. The Chinese are trying to make things in East Asia and are effectively using slaves to do it. American workers should not be expected to compete with slaves, but with other workers,” Vance said.
Vance praised Trump’s success in promoting American manufacturing during his time in office, claiming he opened more than 10,000 factories during his four years in office.
“If you compare President Trump’s record: In the 16 years before his presidency, 60,000 factories were closed. In the four years of his presidency, 12,000 factories were opened in the United States of America.”
The vice presidential candidate last visited Wisconsin on August 7, when he spoke in Eau Claire on the same day as Democratic candidate Kamala Harris and her vice presidential running mate Tim Walz.
Harris will be in Milwaukee next Tuesday for a solo appearance.
Talk to us:
Hi! At TMJ4 News, we listen to our audience and address the things that really matter to you. Have a story idea, a tip, or just want to chat about this article? Contact us using the form below. For more contact options, visit tmj4.com/tips.
It’s time to pay attention to your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
Report a typo or error
