Who is the 'Second-in-Command' Vice President... Neighbor Uncle vs Gaeryongnam [US Election 2024]

Next Week's US Presidential Election
Presidential Candidates' Running Mates 'In Focus'
Two Vice Presidents from Dirt Spoon Backgrounds, Different Upbringing Paths

As the upcoming U.S. presidential election next week unfolds into a nail-biting "Harris vs. Trump" showdown until the very end, attention is also turning to the vice presidential candidates. Both Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz, Governor of Minnesota, and Republican vice presidential candidate Senator JD Vance share the commonality of being self-made white male politicians, but their upbringing is considered vastly different.

Candidate Vance (left), Candidate Walls
[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

Walz was born in a rural town in Nebraska and, after graduating from Chadron State College in Nebraska, worked as a public high school teacher and football coach before entering politics in 2004 as a volunteer for Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry’s campaign. Walz is a seasoned politician who served six terms as a congressman and successfully won re-election as governor.

Vance, who grew up poor in a divorced family in Ohio, a Rust Belt (declining industrial area) state, graduated from Yale Law School and made his mark as a Silicon Valley venture capitalist. He gained fame after publishing his autobiography, “Hillbilly Elegy,” which sold 1.6 million copies. He is a political newcomer who began his Republican activities in 2016 and was elected senator in 2022.

While Walz pursues an “everyman neighbor” image, Vance emphasizes the “Gaeryongnam” (a man who rose from difficult circumstances) image. Walz and Vance are 60 and 40 years old respectively this year, and although Vance is twenty years younger than Walz, his wealth is overwhelmingly greater.

According to a Washington Post (WP) tally, Walz’s assets amount to about $1 million, similar to the average American household wealth, whereas Vance’s assets total $10 million, ten times more. Walz is a homeowner and does not own stocks or funds. In contrast, Vance owns a home in Virginia purchased last year for $1.6 million, tens of thousands of dollars in savings, and millions in mutual funds.

Although the vice president is the second highest-ranking official in the executive branch, they have traditionally been seen as having relatively less influence compared to the president. However, recently, due to political and social risks in the U.S., the vice president’s role has been gaining more attention. In the U.S., if the president is incapacitated due to illness, assassination, or other reasons, the vice president directly succeeds to the presidency, unlike in South Korea where a by-election is held.

When Joe Biden, the oldest U.S. president, underwent his first health checkup after taking office in November 2021, Vice President Kamala Harris served as acting president for 85 minutes. Harris drew attention after taking over the Democratic presidential candidacy in July following Biden’s decision not to seek re-election amid concerns about his age and cognitive abilities. Some have also highlighted the importance of the vice president’s role in the event of an assassination, referencing two recent shooting incidents involving former Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.

Additionally, the vice president serves as the president of the Senate and holds the casting vote, and as a permanent member of the National Security Council (NSC), they continuously receive briefings on defense and foreign affairs. As a close aide to the president, the vice president has significant symbolic importance in advising and persuading the president.

Typically, presidential candidates choose running mates who are personally and politically compatible, so the policy directions of each vice presidential candidate do not differ significantly from those of the presidential candidates.

Walz has clearly demonstrated traditional Democratic stances on key election issues such as abortion rights, climate change, and the economy. As governor of Minnesota, he has aligned with Vice President Harris’s pledges by signing state laws related to abortion rights protection, universal free school meals, marijuana legalization, police reform, and gun safety. He also supports Harris’s middle-class-centered economic policies, including expanded child tax credits.

Vance also supports former President Donald Trump’s policies, including tough immigration measures and universal tariffs. Known as a skilled orator, he is often compared to Trump for his blunt speaking style. Early in his political career, he harshly criticized Trump as “America’s Hitler.” However, his endorsement of Trump in the 2020 election marked the beginning of a developing relationship between the two.