JD Vance's mother condemns Senate candidate's remarks about his grandchildren

Beverly Vance Aikins, the mother of Vice President JD Vance, criticized Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed for remarks she described as racially charged toward her grandchildren and the vice president’s spouse. During an interview on Tomi Lahren’s podcast, Aikins called El-Sayed “an idiot” and said she would “probably punch” him if they met.

“Those are my babies. I love those babies and would do anything for any of them,” Aikins said, adding that she regards Usha Vance, the vice president’s wife, as “one of the best, most genuine people” she has met.

Aikins said she generally “laughs off” attacks on her family but acknowledged that El-Sayed’s comments about her grandchildren being “brown kids” and his speculation about an “awkward” conversation with them upset her. She said she would not take legal action but expressed personal anger.

El-Sayed, a former Detroit public-health official running against Republican Mike Rogers in Michigan’s Senate race, made the comments on “The Allen Analysis Show” podcast in April, suggesting the vice president’s wife might be “sleeping with him” and implying the family’s mixed-heritage children were viewed as “less American.” He also hinted that Vance’s late grandfather might have disapproved of the marriage to an Indian-American spouse.