JD Vance’s trip to the ballot box turned into an unexpectedly adorable father-son moment when his young son Vivek joined him at an Ohio polling place — and cast a vote of his own.
The vice president returned to Cincinnati on May 5 to vote in Ohio’s Republican primaries, stopping at St. Anthony of Padua Maronite Catholic Church before heading on to campaign events. But while Vance was there for serious political business, Vivek quickly became the star of the morning.
The little boy arrived beside his father carrying a stuffed animal, staying close as Vance checked in, showed his ID and prepared to cast his ballot. At one point, Vance joked to reporters that he had to hide his ballot because he did not want them to know who he voted for.
But Vivek’s ballot was far less secret.
According to the official vice presidential pool report, the youngster was given a children’s paper ballot and filled it out while his dad voted. Afterward, Vance showed the child’s ballot to poll workers and revealed the result with a smile: “He voted for the Easter bunny over the tooth fairy.”
It was the kind of light-hearted moment that instantly softened a political stop.
Vance then joked that the choice was “risky” because Vivek had a loose tooth — making his decision to back the Easter Bunny over the Tooth Fairy especially bold. The National Desk reported that Vance called his son “a man of principle” after the mock vote.
For a few minutes, the Ohio primary was not just about candidates, maps and midterm strategy.
It was about a little boy, a teddy bear, a pretend ballot and a dad trying not to laugh in front of the cameras. 🧸
Vance later revealed his own real ballot choices in a post on X, saying he voted for Vivek Ramaswamy for Ohio governor, Jay Edwards for state treasurer and Eric Conroy for Congress in Ohio’s 1st District.
The timing mattered. Ohio’s primaries were closely watched because they helped set up major races for governor, Senate and Congress ahead of November. The Associated Press reported that Ramaswamy went on to win the Republican nomination for governor and is set to face Democrat Amy Acton, Ohio’s former health director.
AP also reported that former Democratic senator Sherrod Brown won his primary and will face Republican senator Jon Husted in what is expected to be one of the year’s most expensive Senate races.
Still, inside the polling place, Vivek briefly stole attention from all of it.
His appearance gave voters a more personal look at Vance, who is often seen in high-pressure political settings but has increasingly brought his family into public moments. The vice president and his wife, Usha Vance, already have three children and are expecting their fourth child, a baby boy, later this summer. ABC News reported that the couple announced the pregnancy in January and said the baby is due in late July.
That means Vivek is preparing for another big promotion at home: big brother again.
The scene in Cincinnati captured the unusual overlap between national politics and family life. One moment, Vance was weighing in on key Republican races. The next, he was explaining why the Easter Bunny had just defeated the Tooth Fairy in his son’s private election.
It was funny.
It was sweet.
And it was exactly the kind of unscripted moment that travels fast online. ✨
For Vance, the visit was a reminder of his Ohio roots. For reporters, it offered a glimpse of the vice president outside the formal setting of Washington. And for Vivek, it may simply be remembered as the day he went voting with Dad, brought his teddy along, and made a very important decision about magical childhood icons.
Politics can be sharp, scripted and serious.
But sometimes, the moment everyone remembers is the smallest one.
A child at a polling place.
A stuffed animal in hand.
And one unforgettable vote for the Easter Bunny.
