Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance reportedly admitted during a private fundraiser the negative effect the likely rise of Vice President Kamala Harris to the top of the Democratic ticket has had on his and GOP nominee Donald Trump s 2024 campaign.

President Joe Biden s axing of his reelection bid earlier this month and endorsement of Harris was a sucker punch to the Trump-Vance campaign because Harris does not have the same baggage as Biden, Vance reportedly told donors in Minnesota, according to The Washington Post which obtained leaked audio of the comments.

All of us were hit with a little bit of a political sucker punch, Vance reportedly said. The bad news is that Kamala Harris does not have the same baggage as Joe Biden, because whatever we might have to say, Kamala is a lot younger.

He added that Harris is obviously not struggling in the same ways as Biden.

Vances reported comments in private, however, are at stark odds with his public messaging. He has claimed the campaign dynamic hasnt changed.

Bidens age (as the oldest president in U.S. history) and cognitive abilities came under intensive scrutiny following his disastrous debate performance against Trump. However, his reelection bid dropout flipped the script, and Trump became the races oldest candidate.

Vance himself, meanwhile, has drawn fierce blowback this week over resurfaced comments about his slamming of top Democrats , including Harris, as childless cat ladies .