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Vance’s jab wasn’t without context. Chicago has long struggled with violent crime, and 2023 proved no exception. The city recorded 617 homicides, with the murder rate up nearly 50 percent from a decade ago, according to a report from the New York Post. Chicago has now held the grim title of the U.S. city with the most murders for 12 consecutive years. In the weekend leading up to the convention, the city saw another spate of violence, with at least 30 people shot and five killed, WLS-TV reported.
In a biting aside, Vance suggested that the decision to host the DNC in Chicago was a tactical one, aimed at bolstering Walz’s credentials. “My little theory about why they decided to have the convention in Chicago is, you know, Tim Walz has been going around saying that he served in war, and maybe they did it in Chicago so that he could actually, accurately say he visited a combat zone,” Vance quipped.
Vance didn’t stop there. He went on to compare Chicago’s violent crime statistics to those found in some of the world’s most dangerous regions. “Chicago has violent crime statistics that actually mirror … third world highly violent countries,” he remarked, underscoring the severity of the situation.
This isn’t the first time Vance has taken aim at Walz’s military record. Earlier this month, the Marine Corps combat veteran accused Walz of “stolen valor,” questioning his claims about his military service. Vance pointed out that Walz, who enlisted in the National Guard in 1981 and retired in 2005, never served in an active combat zone, despite his rhetoric. “He said, ‘We shouldn’t allow weapons that I used in war to be [used] on America’s streets.’ Well, I wonder, Tim Walz, when were you ever in war? What was this weapon that you carried into war, given that you abandoned your unit right before they went to Iraq, and he has not spent a day in a combat zone?” Vance challenged.
Walz’s military record, while notable, falls short of actual combat service. According to a CNN report, Walz deployed with the Minnesota National Guard to Vicenza, Italy, in August 2003, as part of the U.S. war in Afghanistan. However, he did not deploy to Afghanistan, Iraq, or any other combat zone. Walz retired from the Army in 2005 to pursue a career in politics, just months before his unit was deployed to Iraq.
Brutal “Pocket Weapon” Stops Hearts (discounted for next 78)
Vance’s comments highlight the ongoing debate over public safety and leadership within the Democratic Party, particularly as the nation grapples with rising crime rates in major cities. By targeting Chicago’s violent crime epidemic and questioning Walz’s military credibility, Vance aims to draw a clear line between what he sees as the failed policies of the Democratic Party and the law-and-order platform championed by Trump.
As the race heats up, expect more fiery exchanges like this one, as both sides seek to sway voters by highlighting their opponents’ perceived weaknesses. For Vance, the DNC’s location in Chicago isn’t just a matter of logistics—it’s a symbol of everything he believes is wrong with the Democratic approach to governance. And for Walz, it’s an unexpected, if ironic, battlefield in the war for the White House.
