Republican Congressman Posts Digitally Altered J.D. Vance Photo After VP Debate: 'Yassified'

10/02/2024 06:35 PM

Rep. Mike Collins posted the modified image about 12 hours after Vance debated Tim Walz at the CBS Broadcast Center in New York City on Tuesday

Republican Congressman Mike Collins has shared a digitally altered image of vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance that some on social media are describing as "yassified."

The modified image was posted to the Georgia representative's X account shortly before 9 a.m. ET on Wednesday, Oct. 2 — about 12 hours after the Ohio senator, 40, debated Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, 60, at the CBS Broadcast Center in New York City.

Some social media users were quick to tease Collins for posting the image. One user wrote, "babe wake up, a sitting congressman just yassified jd vance."

Other users shared their own altered versions of the photo, which Vance took after he became a member of the U.S. Senate in 2023.

Collins' office did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.

Gm. pic.twitter.com/Koe8f0uhnF

— Rep. Mike Collins (@RepMikeCollins) October 2, 2024

During the debate, moderated by CBS journalists Margaret Brennan and Norah O'Donnell, Vance would not acknowledge that former President Donald Trump lost the 2020 presidential election.

"Did Donald Trump win the 2020 election?" asked Walz, Vice President Kamala Harris' running mate. Vance replied, "I'm focused on the future."

Related: Donald Trump Names J.D. Vance as His 2024 Running Mate: What to Know About the Freshman Ohio Senator

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Walz called Vance's response "a damning non-answer." He later referenced Mike Pence, Trump's 2016 and 2020 running mate who certified the 2020 election results on Jan. 6 in his role as vice president.

"When Mike Pence made that decision to certify that election, that's why Mike Pence isn't on this stage," Walz said.

When asked about the events of Jan. 6, 2021, and Trump's refusal to accept the 2020 election results, Vance said the former president "peacefully gave over power" on Jan. 20, 2021. 

Earlier in the debate, Vance defended Trump's "concepts of a plan" remark from Trump's debate with Harris in September. Trump made the comment when he was asked about his health care plan.

"You're not going to propose a 900-page bill standing on a debate stage," Vance said. "It would bore everybody to tears and it wouldn't actually mean anything because part of this is the give and take of bipartisan negotiation."

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