At a recent rally in Wisconsin, Senator JD Vance took a firm faith-centered stance in response to Vice President Kamala Harris’ recent actions, declaring, “Jesus is King!” This spontaneous moment occurred when an attendee shouted the same phrase during his speech, prompting Vance to echo it, creating a contrast with Harris’ approach at her rally the previous week.

Vance, who has not often spoken publicly about his faith, shared that he returned to Christianity as a young man and was baptized in 2019. “I say this as a Christian, as a person who was baptized for the first time just a few years ago,” Vance explained. “There is something really bizarre with Kamala Harris’ anti-Christian rhetoric and anti-Christian approach to public policy.”

Vance’s comments followed an incident during a Harris rally in Wisconsin, where two pro-life students interrupted her speech by shouting, “Jesus is Lord” and “Christ is King.” Harris responded by telling the students, “You guys are at the wrong rally,” and directing them to a Trump rally down the street. The exchange has drawn criticism from faith-based communities, with some arguing that Harris’ comments were dismissive of Christian beliefs.

Vance used the opportunity at his rally to denounce what he saw as growing anti-Christian sentiment in American politics. He specifically addressed a recent viral video featuring Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, a Harris supporter, in which she feeds Doritos to a podcast host in a manner some critics likened to a mockery of a Christian communion ceremony.

“I don’t think that we’ve seen anything like this in modern American politics,” Vance said, referring to the video. “Gretchen Whitmer does this really bizarre thing where she acts like she’s giving somebody communion, but it’s a Dorito. And, of course, Gretchen Whitmer isn’t like a minister of anything except for, you know, a church I don’t necessarily want to talk about. But think about how sinful that is and how offensive that is to every person.”

Whitmer has since apologized for the video, stating it was not intended to mock Christians or any religious community.

During his speech, Vance took a broader view of religious freedom and the support that he and Donald Trump offer to people of faith. He emphasized the importance of protecting First Amendment rights, saying, “Frankly, whether you’re a person of Christian faith or not, Donald Trump and I are going to fight for your right to live your values because that’s what the First Amendment protects.”

Vance also pointed out what he perceives as a disconnect between Catholic voters and the Biden-Harris administration. “There are a lot of Catholics who rightfully feel abandoned by Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’s leadership,” he said. “They’re just looking for somebody to protect their rights and make this country an affordable and decent place to raise a family.”

His remarks highlight the ongoing tension between faith-based communities and political leaders in the U.S., especially as issues related to religious liberty, pro-life advocacy, and freedom of speech remain at the forefront of public discourse.

The event at Harris’ rally, involving University of Wisconsin-La Crosse students Luke Polaske and Grant Beth, has continued to stir debate. The students insisted they were peacefully sharing their Christian beliefs when they were asked to leave, with Polaske recounting how he waved his cross at Harris before being ushered out. “I took this cross off my neck that I wear, and, as we were getting asked to leave, I held it up in the air and waved at her,” he said. “She looked directly in the eye and kind of gave me an evil smirk.”