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Usha Vance news
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
Usha Vance fired back at Abdul El-Sayed's 'Papaw' remark, calling his Ohio family 'my family.'
The clash spotlights race and family in a heated Senate race.
Background
Usha Vance, wife of Vice President JD Vance, responded to a social media post by Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed, who questioned how JD's late grandfather would have regarded Usha, who is Indian American. Critics called the remark racist. Usha said she has always felt embraced by her husband's family, and the exchange has drawn political reactions ahead of the midterms.
How it unfolded
- Aug 22, 2026JD Vance, Usha, and their four children visited a Waffle House in Cincinnati, a day after Vance announced a $500 million federal grant for a steel plant.
- Aug 23, 2026Abdul El-Sayed posted a social media message taking aim at Usha Vance, questioning how JD's grandfather would have regarded her; critics called it racist.
- Aug 25, 2026Usha Vance fired back in a Fox News interview, saying she laughed off the remark and called her husband's Ohio family 'my family.'
Who’s saying what
- Support
- Republican figures like Tudor Dixon defended Usha, calling El-Sayed a 'coward' for targeting women.
- Caution
- Critics interpreted El-Sayed's remark as an insinuation that Vance's grandfather would not have accepted Usha because of her Indian heritage.
Still unverified
El-Sayed's intent behind the remark is disputed; some see it as racist, others as a political jab.