A Vegetarian at a Butcher Shop: J.D. Vance Takes Wife Usha to a Meat Shop During Campaign Stop

After being largely absent from the campaign trail, Usha Vance was recently spotted on the campaign trail with her husband J.D. Vance. But despite the rare visit, the Indian American has been receiving some flak. The Vances were spotted at a butcher shop in Erie, Pennsylvania. Usha is a vegetarian, so Gordon’s Butcher & Market is one of the strangest places she could choose for one of her rare appearances. No wonder digital magazine INTO called it “a poorly received campaign stunt.” 

Not only did the couple talk with the owners about the shop’s importance in the community, they also got a lowdown on processing a cow, thanks to Vance’s curiosity. In a video clip of the interaction, Usha appears to look uncomfortable. However, Vance chose to ignore that and even offered an explanation. Despite being a vegetarian, his wife “loves this stuff,” he told the owners. She often tells him to “get the beef tongue” at restaurants, he added. 

Social media has been having a field day with the Aug. 28 visit. “The things people will do just for a little bit of power,” TikToker Ariana Merchant said of the video, describing Usha’s predicament as something akin to schadenfreude. “Usha, blink twice if you need help,” one commenter posted.

At the Republican National Convention in July, Usha described her husband as a “meat and potatoes” kind of guy, who has learned to cook Indian food from her mother.