JD Vance responds to Christian students mocked at Harris rally; protester warns about ‘spiritual warfare’
Two Christian college students who were mocked by Vice President Kamala Harris at a recent campaign rally have a warning for Christians: get ready for more of the same.
Grant Beth and Luke Polaske attended the Harris-Walz rally at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse last week when they shouted phrases like “Christ is King!” as Harris spoke about abortion rights.
In an interview Sunday with “Fox & Friends Weekend,” Beth said the pair’s shouted phrases drew the ire of those around them.
“I was pushed by an elderly woman. We were heckled at, we were cursed at, we were mocked,” Beth said. “In reflection of the event, Jesus was mocked. His disciples were mocked, and that’s OK.
“We did God’s work, and we were there for the right reasons.”
Polaske, who said he and Beth were approximately 20 to 30 yards away from Harris, said he can confirm the vice president addressed them specifically.
“There’s a lot of controversy that says she wasn’t talking to us or [that] we left. We didn’t get kicked out. Well, I can speak on Grant and I’s behalf,” he said.
“On video, Grant’s getting pushed and shoved, and there’s about five seconds before she tells us to go to a small rally down the street. You can see on the video, she waves. She was actually waving to me,” Polaske added.
At that point, he said he removed his cross necklace, held it up in the air, and “pointed at” Harris.
“She looked [me] directly in the eye, kind of gave me an evil smirk,” he said.
Harris paused her speech to address the students, quipping, “You guys are at the wrong rally,” which drew loud applause from the audience. The moment quickly went viral on social media.
While Harris focused on the economy and her vision for the 2024 campaign, she also criticized former President Donald Trump for his role in overturning Roe v. Wade. “When Congress passes a bill to restore reproductive freedom nationwide, as president, I will proudly sign it into law,” she pledged.
Beth warned that a Harris presidency could lead to tensions with the Christian community.“You’re going to get the Kamala Harris that alienates over 50 percent of the U.S. population that is Christian,” he argued, referencing her decision to skip the Al Smith Memorial Dinner, a long-standing charity event attended by presidential candidates.
Polaske made similar predictions in a social media post Sunday in which he warned about the “spiritual warfare” involved in the 2024 election.
He wrote: “Christianity is the most hated and persecuted religion in the world. I have seen this firsthand when my faith was mocked and insulted by the Vice President of the United States. I hope as Christians we do not compromise our morals to vote for a woman who does not care about our faith.
“We are in the midst of a spiritual warfare this election cycle. With that being said, let’s not forget what we are taught to do as Christians.”
After quoting Christ’s command for His followers to love their neighbor, Polaske added, “He tells us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. In Jesus’ name, every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Because in the end, WE WIN.”
U.S. Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, appeared to reference the exchange during his own rally in Wisconsin Sunday afternoon while speaking about his Catholic faith.
During his speech, an attendee shouted “Jesus is King,” to which Vance responded, “That’s right. Jesus is King.” He described Harris’ rhetoric as “anti-Christian” and suggested it reflects a broader issue in modern politics.
After sharing about his return to faith as a Catholic and being baptized in 2019, Vance referenced what he described as VP Harris’ “anti-Christian rhetoric.”
“I say this as a Christian, as a person who was baptized for the first time just a few years ago. There is something really bizarre with Kamala Harris’ anti-Christian rhetoric and anti-Christian approach to public policy,” he said.