Vance jokes about last week’s ‘devastating loss’

Vice President Vance joked about a “devastating loss” last week while addressing veterans at an event in Washington on Monday, but what appeared to be a discussion about the GOP losses in the midterm elections was actually just about football.

“Before I get into the meat of my remarks, I wanted to talk, of course, about the devastating loss last week,” he said at the National Veterans’ Small Business Week kickoff. “There are a lot of people unfairly criticizing the leader of the team despite leading us to a great victory two years ago.”

“A lot of staff infighting and questions about reshuffling. And, of course, there’s a conversation about whether the number two has what it takes to lead the team,” he continued. “I’m talking, of course, about the Ohio State Buckeyes.”

The GOP faced rough midterm election results last week, losing key elections to Democrats and seeing two famously Republican states – Texas and Kansas – turn blue.

Vance’s bait-and-switch joke was about the Buckeyes’ home loss to the Oregon Ducks last week.

The Republican party is facing infighting and reshuffling as people point fingers to who they feel is responsible for last Tuesday’s loss. President Trump on Friday announced the departure of White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, replacing her with Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller.

Vance himself dropped a lengthy statement on X after the election, placing blame on the Iran war for the GOP’s losses.

Questions have swirled over who the next leader of the Republican party could be. Vance has been considered the heir apparent to Trump, but the election results have muddied the picture, leaving room for other possibilities, like Secretary of State Marco Rubio and outgoing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, to make a play.