Vance runs a Swift Boat attack against Walz’s military service
SUMMARY
Ohio Senator JD Vance has unleashed a Swift Boat-style attack on Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, accusing him of "stolen valor" for allegedly retiring from the military to avoid deployment to Iraq. Vance, who served in Iraq but did not see combat, has questioned Walz's military career, suggesting his retirement was a strategic move to dodge active duty. Vance criticized Walz’s departure just before his unit's deployment, branding it as an attempt to escape a wartime assignment. This tactic recalls the 2004 campaign's effort to undermine John Kerry’s military record. While Walz’s camp asserts there’s no evidence he retired to avoid service, Vance’s charges raise serious doubts about Walz's claims of military valor. With Walz's long tenure in the Army National Guard and his advocacy for veterans under scrutiny, the Vance campaign sees this as a crucial vulnerability to exploit.
