Sen. JD Vance was slated participate in a town hall event moderated by televangelist Lance Wallnau in Monroeville, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, joining the pastor who is known for his vocal support of former President Donald Trump.
Vance was poised to attend a town hall event hosted by Wallnau, who has made controversial claims regarding Harris, likening her debate night tactics to witchcraft, as Newsweek reports.
The town hall, scheduled for Sept. 28 at the Monroeville Convention and Events Center, was part of Wallnau’s seven-state "Courage Tour."
The tour aims to rally evangelical support for Trump ahead of the 2024 election. Doors for the event were set to open at 9 a.m., with the discussion starting at 1 p.m. Tickets were free and available through online platforms.
Lance Wallnau, an evangelical pastor and frequent speaker at conservative events, has not shied away from making controversial remarks about Harris.
Following a televised presidential debate, he accused the vice president of employing what he described as “witchcraft” to manipulate viewers' perceptions of Trump. Wallnau shared his accusations in a series of posts on X, formerly known as Twitter, where he described Harris's debate tactics as an intentional effort to deceive.
Wallnau later expanded on his comments, explaining that Harris’s use of "unsubstantiated claims" during the debate was allowed to go unchecked, creating a skewed narrative.
"She knew she could speak 20 lies about Trump and not be contradicted. That was the arrangement," Wallnau said in one post, expressing frustration over what he saw as unfair treatment of Trump during the debate.
In his characterization of Harris, Wallnau has likened her to biblical figures associated with deception and manipulation. He referred to her as "Jezebel," an infamous figure from scripture, and further commented that Harris is "just George Soros with a skirt," suggesting that she is controlled by political elites.
Wallnau has been a key figure in evangelical circles supporting Donald Trump since 2016. He frequently draws parallels between Trump and biblical figures like Cyrus, whom he describes as chosen by God to fulfill a divine mission. Wallnau often cites Trump's status as the 45th president and connects it to the 45th chapter of the Book of Isaiah, which discusses Cyrus’s role in rebuilding Jerusalem.
As a prominent voice in Trump's evangelical base, Wallnau's influence reaches a broad spectrum of conservative Christian voters. According to research by Pew from April 2024, Trump retains strong support among white Protestant Evangelicals, with 81% in favor of his candidacy. Support from white Catholics and other Protestant groups remains significant but less pronounced. Meanwhile, Black Protestant voters overwhelmingly reject Trump, with only 23% supporting him in the latest survey.
The town hall event Vance was scheduled to attend was expected to draw a large evangelical crowd, many of whom share Wallnau’s concerns about the state of the country and the future of conservative leadership. The event was thought to be an opportunity for Vance to connect with a key constituency in Pennsylvania, a state crucial to both parties in the upcoming election.
Vance, has aligned himself with key voices in Trump’s base, including Lance Wallnau. His decision to attend the town hall signals his interest in engaging with evangelical voters, a group that has remained loyal to Trump and holds considerable influence within the GOP. Vance has made frequent appearances at events that draw on the themes of religious conservatism, cultural concerns, and pro-Trump sentiment.
Neither the Harris campaign nor the Trump campaign has publicly responded to Wallnau’s accusations as of yet.
However, given the nature of his statements and the high-profile nature of the town hall, it is possible that these comments will become a focal point in the political discourse leading up to the 2024 election.
The Monroeville town hall may offer Vance a chance to address key policy issues and engage directly with voters, but it also posed potential risks, given the divisive nature of Wallnau’s comments. While Vance has not publicly endorsed Wallnau’s statements about Harris, his appearance at the event could raise questions about the extent of his alignment with such controversial rhetoric.
As the 2024 election draws nearer, events like the Courage Tour are becoming more prominent in shaping the narrative among conservative voters. Wallnau’s influence, coupled with his longstanding support for Trump, positions him as a central figure in mobilizing evangelical backing for the former president. Vance’s attendance at this event suggests a continued effort to strengthen his own ties to this critical voting bloc.
Whether or not the event will sway undecided voters remains to be seen, but it will undoubtedly attract attention from both the media and political strategists.
