Why Sen. J.D. Vance says losing a relationship over politics is a “terrible mistake”

At a televised town hall meeting with NewsNation On Thursday, Sen. J.D. Vance, former President Donald Trump’s running mate, issued a strong message on the importance of preventing political differences from affecting personal relationships.

Addressing the growing divisions between political parties, he spoke of how polarization had begun to affect friendships and family ties.

“If you give up a lifelong friendship because someone votes for the other team, then you’ve made a terrible, terrible mistake and you should do something different,” he said.

Vance’s comments underscored that overcoming growing polarization in the US depends on maintaining strong relationships despite political differences. He acknowledged that while some people he knows may not vote for him or Trump, “that doesn’t make them bad people.”

“Don’t give up on family members and lifelong friendships,” he advised. “Politics is not worth it. And I think if we follow this principle, we will heal the division in this country.”

Politics divides families and friends?

As Election Day approaches, political fervor continues to rise, causing people to strongly support their favorite candidates. These differences often lead to opposing positions between friends and family members.

While the opposition does not make anyone an enemy, recent trends suggest that some may view it as such.

As previously reported Deseret NewsThere has been an increase in the number of people who are “out of contact” with family members due to perceived irreconcilable differences in worldview.

While there are times when “no contact” may be appropriate due to circumstances surrounding violence, this particular trend is notable because violence is confused with abuse, which is often motivated by political differences.

The question arises whether it is possible to maintain close ties with those with whom you disagree.

Maintaining relationships despite political differences

Dr Judy Ho, clinical and forensic neuropsychologist and author of The New Rules of Attachment, said: CBS News that political disagreements are particularly challenging for relationships because they are often tied to core identities and values.

“When beliefs are challenged, it feels like a much more personal attack and triggers a defensive response,” Ho said.

She advised people facing this dilemma to consider what is more important: having this person in their life or holding political views that may change over time.

“If a person is valuable to you in some way, important to you, then it is important to try to overcome the conflict, and not just completely shut it down or never talk to them about anything related to their beliefs,” she continues.

Additionally, Dr. Laura Vogel, director of mental health services at the Momentous Institute, noted that friendships with people who hold different points of view can be helpful in breaking us out of the echo chamber.

“Our good friends can challenge us,” Vogel told CBS News.