Yale Law Grad J.D. Vance Called Out As Trump 'Ass-Kisser' During Senate Debate

It's a moment that's gone viral.

Donald Trump Holds Rally With Ohio Candidates In Youngstown

(Photo by Jeff Swensen/Getty Images)

I’m from Ohio. I don’t kiss anyone’s ass like him. Ohio needs an ass-kicker, not an ass-kisser.

After Trump took J.D. Vance’s dignity from him on the stage in Youngstown, J.D. Vance got back up on stage and started shaking his hand, taking pictures. … I don’t know anybody I grew up with, I don’t know anybody I went to high school with, that would allow somebody to take their dignity like that and then get back up onstage.

We need leaders who have courage to take on their own party, and I’ve proven that. He was called an ass kisser by the former president.

— Ohio Democratic representative Tim Ryan, calling out J.D. Vance, his Republican opponent for the U.S. Senate, during a debate held earlier this week. In referring to the Yale Law graduate as an “ass kisser,” Ryan brought up the fact that last month, Donald Trump told the audience at a rally that Vance was “kissing his ass” to curry favor and that he was “in love” with the former president. Check out a clip of the moment, below.


Staci ZaretskyStaci Zaretsky is a senior editor at Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Twitter or connect with her on LinkedIn.