Senator J.D. Vance, the Republican candidate for vice president, faced a very embarrassing moment recently. While on the campaign trail, he tried to stop at a famous sandwich shop outside Pittsburgh, Primanti Bros., for an event. However, things didn’t go as planned. Instead of holding the event inside the restaurant, he was left shaking hands with supporters in the parking lot after the shop refused to let him in.
NBC’s senior political editor, Doug Adams, reported that Vance planned to visit the well-known chain, which has been a favorite in the eastern U.S. since 1933. However, the campaign was told that the restaurant didn’t want to be part of a “campaign event” and did not allow cameras inside. This left Vance with no choice but to greet his supporters in the parking lot.
LMAO I love @primantibros in Pittsburgh!
Just kicked out JD Vance and MAGA moros there trying to do one their staged photo ops…..perfect time to do a @goldbelly order https://t.co/07PCkgOiqf pic.twitter.com/OSPLbOFewW
— Wu Tang is for the Children (@WUTangKids) September 28, 2024
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JD Vance intended to make a stop at a Primanti Bros near Pittsburgh… but when they got there, the campaign was told no cams & restaurant didn’t want to be part of a “campaign event”
Vance ended up shaking hands outside in parking lot.
He has event in Monroeville, PA this aftn— Doug Adams (@DougNBC) September 28, 2024
This situation is not only embarrassing for Vance but also highlights a growing trend where businesses and the public are distancing themselves from Trump and his allies. Many companies, organizations, and even sports teams have rejected being associated with the divisive politics of Trump and the Republicans. A similar situation happened when several sports teams refused to visit the White house while Trump was president. These moments show that even non-political areas, like restaurants or sports, are pushing back against Trump’s influence.
Another NBC reporter, Gary Grumbach, confirmed the story and added that Vance was left outside with around 50 supporters. Karen Taylor, founder of Audit The Vote PA, also added more details. She said the sandwich shop even “threatened to call the police on JD Vance if he got out of the car.” This shows how uncomfortable the business was with being part of the campaign.
In what seemed like a damage control effort, Taylor later said that the restaurant denied threatening to call the police and insisted that Vance was welcomed. But by that time, the incident had already gone viral, and the damage was done. It was a very bad look for Vance and his campaign.
Many people took the opportunity to mock the situation. Former Trump campaign aide, A.J. Delgado, said, “Damn that’s embarrassing.” Democratic activist Jon Karlen also joked, “His loss. I hear they have a tremendous Whatever Makes Sense special.”
The story spread on social media, and many people shared their thoughts on how this shows the growing divide between Republican candidates and the public.
This event is more than just an embarrassing mishap for Vance. It reflects the growing problem for Republicans, especially those connected to Trump. Their extreme views and divisive rhetoric are starting to alienate them from regular Americans, and even businesses no longer want to be associated with their politics.
In the past, Trump had been a strong force in the Republican Party, but now it seems his influence is starting to hurt candidates like Vance. As we’ve seen before, this isn’t the first time a Republican aligned with Trump has faced public rejection. From sports teams to restaurants, the message is clear: people don’t want to be part of the chaos surrounding the Trump-backed Republicans.
Vance’s awkward parking lot handshake is a perfect example of how the Trump brand is becoming more of a problem than a benefit. This incident may be a sign of even more challenges to come as the Republican Party continues to struggle with the consequences of standing by Trump.
Featured image via Political Tribune Gallery
