Here’s where the vice presidential candidates stand on top issues

The 2024 vice presidential candidates have starkly contrasting views on the issues important to voters this election cycle.

Former President Donald Trump nominated Senator J.D. Vance of Ohio as his Republican nominee, while Democratic Governor Tim Walz of Minnesota was chosen as Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate. While Waltz and Vance share broadly similar views and policy points as their running mate, they differ sharply on key issues that affect most Americans.

Here are the positions of the two opposing candidates on key issues:

Immigration

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Walz has long supported a path to citizenship. Illegal immigration And they have worked to pass laws that give them more rights in the United States.

Governor Walz appeared to signal his support for “sanctuary policies” in 2018, signing a bill that would allow undocumented immigrants to obtain state driver’s licenses in 2023. During his tenure as governor, Minnesota passed a bill allowing undocumented immigrants to attend college tuition-free under the North Star Promise program.

Senator Vance supports securing the southern border by resuming construction of the Trump-era border wall and has frequently criticized the Biden administration’s response to the crisis on the southern border.

“Until you see it for yourself, you won’t believe how terrible the Kamala Harris administration’s policies have been with regards to the southern border,” Vance said during a recent visit to the border.

abortion

Before taking office as a senator in 2021, Vance posted on X (formerly Twitter) that abortion was “the first political issue I’ve ever cared about.” When asked about the issue during a 2022 Senate debate, Vance said he supported a “minimum national standard.”

He recently told Meet the Press that he supports “availability” of the abortion drug mifepristone after the Supreme Court rejected a pro-life lawsuit seeking to overturn the drug’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval.

Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris is welcomed by Democratic vice presidential candidate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz before speaking at a campaign event in Eau Claire, Wis., Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast) (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Governor Walz codified abortion into the Minnesota Constitution by signing the Reproductive Options Protection Act of 2023. The Governor has also worked to provide protections for people traveling from out of state to get an abortion.

At his first campaign rally with Harris, Walz emphasized his support for in vitro fertilization (IVF), which he said his wife had used before becoming pregnant.

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Harris and Walz visited an abortion clinic together in March, before teaming up for the 2024 presidential election.

Second Amendment

Walz has said he is a gun owner, but he also supports imposing more restrictions on firearms, including a ban on AR-15s.

The governor signed a bill requiring more thorough background checks and “red flag” laws for gun purchases.

Vance, a gun owner, is a strong supporter of the Second Amendment and has frequently disagreed with the Biden administration’s stance on the issue.

Republican vice presidential candidate Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio speaks at a campaign rally at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on August 6, 2024. Sen. Vance has been campaigning in several battleground states around the same time as Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign schedule this week. (Drew Hallowell/Getty Images)

After being selected to run alongside Trump, Vance’s candidacy was praised by the National Rifle Association (NRA).

Israel

Vance has voiced support for Israel and continued U.S. funding for the Israel Defense Forces.

“As we watch this horrific situation unfold in Israel, Americans must face a hard truth: this is funded by our tax dollars. Money is fungible, and much of the money we sent to Iran is now being used to kill innocent people,” Vance said in a post on X on Oct. 7. “This must stop. Israel has a right to defend its country. I wish our friends the best, but most of all I hope they are not fighting with weapons bought with our money.”

Waltz also voiced support for Israel and its right to exist, and sympathized with the people of the Gaza Strip.

“While there are contradictory claims that Israel has a right to defend its country and that the atrocities of October 7 are unacceptable, the infliction of this on Palestinian civilians must end,” Waltz said during an appearance on Minnesota Public Radio in March, as reported by Al Jazeera.

Social issues

Last year, Governor Walz signed a bill requiring schools to provide free menstrual products to students in grades 4 through 12, including in boys’ restrooms.

Democratic vice presidential candidate and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz speaks at a campaign event in Detroit, Michigan on August 7, 2024. (Andrew Harnick)

Minnesota became a “trans haven state” after Governor Walz signed an order allowing people, including children, from outside the state to receive transgender surgery and hormone treatments.

Walz also signed a controversial bill that bans the removal of books that may contain sexual content from public schools.

Governor Vance introduced the Child Innocence Act in 2023, which aims to make gender reassignment surgery for minors a felony.

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The senator has also vocally stated that “there are only two genders” and has introduced a bill that would require passports to reflect biological sex rather than gender identity.

Fox News’ Adam Shaw, Jamie Joseph and Michael Lee contributed to this report.