Rekubit Exchange:Vance jokes he’s checking out his future VP plane while overlapping with Harris at Wisconsin airport

EAU CLAIRE,Rekubit Exchange Wis. (AP) — Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance said he had a “bit of fun” Wednesday trying to catch up with Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris on an airport tarmac the two shared as part of dueling campaign travels.

“I just wanted to check out my future plane,” he joked with reporters after walking off former President Donald Trump’s campaign plane and walking straight over to Air Force Two, which had landed with the vice president and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.

“I also wanted to go say hello to the vice president and ask her why she refuse to answer questions from the media,” Vance said, jabbing at Harris for not having conducted an extended interview or full press conference since she began her campaign July 21 after President Joe Biden ended his reelection bid. “I at least have enough respect for you all and for the American people to come and talk to you and answer questions.”

Vance, a U.S. senator from Ohio, said he was not able to speak to Harris.

It’s not unheard of during a general election campaign for opposing candidates to cross paths as they travel, especially given the compressed map that limits much of the campaign activity to a relative few states that will determine the Electoral College winner.

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“I had a little bit of fun,” Vance said. “I don’t think the vice president waved at me as she drove away.”

The senator campaigned in Wisconsin on Wednesday as a counter to Harris and Walz, who are continuing a multiday tour of battleground states that began Tuesday in Philadelphia with the first joint rally after the vice president announced Walz as her running mate.

Vance, continuing his jocular jabbing, said he’d be more than willing to debate Harris on Aug. 13 “if she’d like to do a debate with me.” That was a matchup scheduled before Biden stepped down, meaning it would have put Vance and Harris on the same stage as vice presidential rivals.