GOP vice presidential nominee JD Vance to campaign in AZ. What to know

Sen. JD Vance is set to headline his first Arizona rally since being chosen as former President Donald Trump’s running mate.

The visit next week also marks the Trump campaign’s first major Arizona event since President Joe Biden ended his reelection campaign and Vice President Kamala Harris became the presumptive Democratic nominee.

Vance, R-Ohio, will appear at the Arizona Christian University Event Center in Glendale on Wednesday, July 31, according to the Trump campaign.

The Trump campaign took aim at Harris’s record on immigration and inflation in a written statement previewing his visit.

“JD Vance is devastated to see the path of death and destruction left behind by Kamala Harris and her activist friends,” the Trump campaign said. “We can Make America Great Again by tackling lawlessness head-on, ceasing the endless flow of illegal immigrants across our southern border, and reversing the detrimental effects of inflation by restoring people’s wealth.”

The Glendale rally is part of a western campaign swing for Vance, the author of the memoir “Hillbilly Elegy.” The day before he comes to Arizona, Vance will hold two Nevada rallies in Henderson and Reno.

The Trump campaign has been forced to recalibrate its approach after Biden stepped aside and Harris took his place. Arizona could have an even larger role this cycle than anticipated, as Harris is reportedly vetting Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., as a potential vice-presidential pick.

Meanwhile, Democrats have ramped up their attacks on Vance after Trump selected him as a running mate at last week’s Republican National Convention.

“We reject Donald Trump, JD Vance and their extremism,” Karl Gentles, an Arizona delegate to the Democratic National Convention, said Wednesday at a news conference in Phoenix.

Border issues: Trump bashes Harris on immigration as presidential race takes shape

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: JD Vance in Arizona: Trump's VP pick to campaign at Glendale rally