No, it’s not photoshopped — JD Vance has taken to X, formerly known as Twitter, to announce that he and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump will put a halt to a rumored collaboration between two Cincinnati dining staples if elected.
On Oct. 15, a Redditor posted in the r/Cincinnati and r/Kroger forums that they had found a shelf price tag for a $6.99 pint of Skyline-flavored ice cream produced by Graeter’s Ice Cream.
Before the Kroger website removed the product description, the Cincinnati Enquirer managed to capture a screenshot of the experimental ice cream, which Kroger called an “unconventional union” of flavors. The chili-spiced ice cream was described as having oyster crackers and shredded cheese mixed throughout the pint.
Soon, 2024 Republican vice presidential nominee and Middletown native JD Vance caught wind of the flavor. He took to X to express his opinion on the Cincinnati staples’ collaboration on the night of Oct. 15.
“President Trump and I will stop this,” he posted.
This humorous take on a quirky local trend shows firsthand how politicians can use humor and relatability to connect with their constituents. By engaging with a fun topic like this, Vance tapped into his local hometown culture and showcased a more relatable side of political discourse.
Of course, he also introduced the concept of Skyline-flavored Graeter’s ice cream to people across the nation, many of whom do not understand the undying passion Cincinnatians have for incorporating Skyline flavors into everything from Skyline dip donuts to Dewey’s limited-edition Skyline Dip Deluxe pizza to Coney tacos, aptly called a taconey.
Whether you’re a fan of this flavor fusion or not, it’s clear that Vance’s tweet has sparked a lighthearted conversation amid the increasingly intense tensions on social media leading up to the election, proving that even ice cream can become a topic of political debate in today’s world.
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This article appears in Oct 16-29, 2024.