Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance speaks at Majestic Friesians on Tuesday, August 27
Horse farm in Big Rapids.
Although Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance visited Big Rapids to campaign for former President Donald Trump’s return to the White House, the event was dominated by controversy surrounding Gotion Inc.’s electric vehicle battery component manufacturing facility.
The majestic Friesians Farm on 19 Mile Road in Green Charter Township hosted Vance and an estimated crowd of about 2,000 people from across the state.
The site, owned by outspoken Gotion critic Lori Brock, has been described by some members of the protest movement as “the heart of the resistance” to the project.
The article continues below this ad
“Looking around here in our little community in Green Charter Township, you would think this is a nice, quiet, peaceful place to live. And that has been the case for many years,” Brock said. “So how did we end up holding political rallies for our future president? Everything changed the day the Communist Party showed up in our town with the Gotion battery factory.”
Gotion Inc., whose parent company is based in Hefei, China, received significant state tax breaks to locate its operations in Mecosta County. Governor Gretchen Whitmer called the project the “largest economic development project ever undertaken in Northern Michigan.”
To secure the project, which pitted Michigan against potential sites in Texas, Georgia, Kentucky, South Carolina, Illinois and Ohio, the Michigan Strategic Fund Board approved an incentive package, including:
- A $125 million performance-based grant from the Critical Industry Program through the Strategic Outreach and Attraction Reserve Fund
- A Renaissance Zone designated by the Michigan Strategic Fund has an estimated value of $540 million
- A $50 million performance-based grant for the Strategic Site Readiness Program from the SOAR Fund
The article continues below this ad
Since then, Republican lawmakers, most notably U.S. Rep. John Moolenaar, have sharply criticized the project and criticized Whitmer for putting a Chinese company above the interests of Michigan taxpayers.
Brock attacked Chuck Thelen, vice president of Gotion Inc. North American Manufacturing – “China Chuck” – throughout her speech. Thelen tried to convince critics like Brock that the $2.3 billion project would be a win for the community and generate a payroll of $106 million when fully staffed.
Questions about the plant’s ownership have plagued Gotion. It is common knowledge that Gotion Inc. is an American company and has been registered in the US for ten years. However, critics continue to claim that Gotion is aligned with the Chinese Communist Party.
Brock said Thelen’s statements that the company was not affiliated with the CCP and that the project enjoyed broad public support were “refuted.”
The article continues below this ad
“This guy (Thelen) shovels out more manure in his daily life than we have here on our farm,” she said.
Under sweltering skies, with temperatures reaching 32 degrees and only a light breeze providing occasional relief to the mostly elderly crowd, several other themes were echoed by the day’s speakers: a conspiracy to allow undocumented immigrants to vote in the November election, the government forcing electric vehicles on an unwilling population, and China’s efforts to invade the U.S. heartland.
Still, Gotion remained the most discussed topic of the day – from former Republican gubernatorial candidate Tudor Dixon’s concerns about pollution to Vance’s claim that members of former President Barack Obama’s administration had called the Gotion plant a “threat to America’s national security.”
Former congressman and Republican candidate for U.S. Senate Mike Rogers praised Brock and opponents of the Gotion plant for fighting China’s economic plan to “pull the rug out from under us.” One of those plans – the increased push for electric vehicle production – is to “get us to give them money so they can put their Chinese technology right here in this idyllic community,” Rogers said. “That’s the beginning.”
“This will be the first victory that will help us drive China out of the United States,” Rogers said. “We’re doing this because of you and because of Lori and because of this community that had the courage to stand up and say: Not in my backyard. We will not back down.”
Michigan Republican Party Chairman Pete Hoekstra praised Brock and other grassroots volunteers, as well as Republican Congressman John Moolenaar, for their fight against “China’s communist battery factory.”
The article continues below this ad
“This power plant will not be built,” Hoekstra said. “You have set a great example of how to fight and win.”
Gotion filed suit against Green Township in March in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan for violating the development agreement, which was approved by a township board of trustees in August 2023 and then rescinded last year.
Finally, discussions turned to the upcoming election and criticism of Vice President Kamala Harris. Vance, who will be elected to the US Senate in 2023, spoke about his transformation from a Trump critic – he once called the former president a “total fraud” and “reprehensible” – to a supporter and now his running mate.
“The same people who ruined this country for 30 years said President Donald Trump would fail. I remember, I myself didn’t believe in Donald Trump’s promises. He convinced me because he did such a good job,” he said. “We had broad prosperity for every American, rich and poor. Donald Trump ended the stupid wars and stood up to the bad guys around the world. American strength promotes peace, and we had a hell of a lot of peace when Donald J. Trump was president.”
The article continues below this ad
During his 22-minute address, Vance presented a less apocalyptic picture of the country than Trump has in his recent appearances. It’s unlikely his performance swayed voters at the event — they came as soldiers of the MAGA movement, but left with praise for Vance’s youth and energetic, engaging presence. While some of his recent appearances may have revealed his “awkward” side, Vance’s comments on Tuesday were crisp and delivered with aplomb.
Vance, a Marine who served in Iraq, questioned the military service of Democratic vice presidential candidate and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who served in the Minnesota National Guard but retired before his unit deployed. In a 2018 video, Walz said he handled assault rifles “in war.” He has since clarified that he “misspoke” in that video.
“Many veterans from all parts of our military don’t like it when others lie about their service for military reasons, and that’s exactly what Tim Walz did. This is a slap in the face to all veterans,” he said.
Vance also criticized Harris for helping to “undo” the work Trump did during his term in office by promoting manufacturing growth and keeping inflation in check.
The article continues below this ad
“Under their leadership, gas prices have gone up 50%,” he said. “Housing costs have doubled. If you talk to young people today, they can’t afford a house in their own country. We’re turning a generation of 20- and 30-year-olds into permanent debtors. Donald Trump and I believe that young people should have ownership of their own country, should be able to build a life and raise a family.”
“That’s what we’re fighting for.”
