JD Vance, US vice president, at the Ole Miss Pavilion on the University of Mississippi campus, October 29, 2025, in Oxford. BRAD VEST / AFP
American flags, red caps and White faces – exclusively White. The University of Mississippi’s sports arena, known as “Ole Miss,” was electric with anticipation on Wednesday, October 29. It was hosting a stop on the tour of the Turning Point USA movement, founded by Charlie Kirk, with JD Vance as the headline guest. Since the assassination of the activist and influential figure in September, the US vice president has become one of the main figures upholding his legacy, supporting Kirk’s wife Erika, who was present on stage in Oxford. The large crowd of 10,000 people was a reminder: Turning Point USA is a breeding ground for motivated young conservatives, whom any Republican candidate will need in 2028.
“Forty-eight! Forty-eight!” shouted someone from the stands, in reference to the number of the next US president, three years from now. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves!” replied Vance with a smile. Still, when his political story is written, it may well note that this was his first campaign rally, though he refused to say so openly. The event showed his ease, despite a pace that was a bit too fast, but also his biggest handicap: He is not Donald Trump. Vance appears as Trump’s more sophisticated, more thoughtful, better-prepared heir, embracing his radicalism but lacking Trump’s charisma and cultural presence.
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