During the vice presidential debate on Thursday, Sen. JD Vance (R-OH) made a bold claim that censorship poses a significant “threat to democracy” and accused his Democratic opponents of avoiding the topic. The debate, moderated by CBS News journalist Nora O’Donnell, took an interesting turn when Vance was asked about his stance on challenging the results of the 2024 election.

Vance didn’t mince words, asserting that the real danger to democracy isn’t election denial but rather the suppression of free speech. He pointed to what he sees as a troubling trend of Big Tech companies and the federal government working together to censor information, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Ohio senator didn’t pull any punches when it came to his criticism of the Biden administration. He accused them of colluding with social media giants to suppress legitimate news stories, such as the Hunter Biden laptop controversy. Vance argued that this kind of censorship is what truly undermines democracy and erodes public trust in institutions.

Vance didn’t stop there. He went on to criticize the current administration for what he perceives as their failure to address the issue of censorship head-on. In his view, the Democrats’ reluctance to engage with this topic is telling and potentially damaging to the democratic process.

The debate took an unexpected turn when Vance brought up the subject of January 6th. He argued that while the events of that day were certainly problematic, they pale in comparison to the long-term effects of widespread censorship on American society.

It’s clear that Vance is trying to position himself and the Republican Party as champions of free speech in an era where many feel their voices are being silenced. Whether this strategy will resonate with voters remains to be seen, but it’s certainly got people talking.

As the debate wound down, Vance reiterated his commitment to protecting free speech and combating censorship, should he and Trump be elected. It’s a stance that’s sure to fire up the Republican base, but may also raise eyebrows among those who view his claims of widespread censorship with skepticism.