The Ohio senator turned vice president was in town primarily for the Claremont Institute’s Statesmanship Award dinner held Saturday evening, but it was his Sunday night outing to Soichi Sushi in University Heights that ignited public outcry. As Vance’s Secret Service motorcade arrived outside the 26-seat sushi restaurant, onlookers noted it clogged much of Adams Avenue and reportedly took up several parking spaces in front of nearby vegan restaurant Grains.
Videos circulated online shortly after showing his motorcade being met with jeers, middle fingers, and shouted curses and accusations as it departed the neighborhood. Protesters could be heard yelling, "Get the hell out of San Diego!", "F--k you!!" and "Fascists aren't welcome in North Park!"
One demonstrator shouted: "Hope your Michelin-starred sushi was worth it with 82 people dead in Texas! Thanks for cutting the National Weather Service," referencing the ongoing disaster in Texas where floods have killed more than 100 people and raised concerns about national emergency response coordination. While meteorologists have defended the National Weather Service's role, critics continue to point fingers at Republican-backed staffing and budget cuts.
Adding fuel to the controversy, multiple media outlets reported Vance was dining at the height of the flood crisis, raising questions about optics and empathy. "JD Vance, he's a United States citizen. He has every right to go out with his family and have a good time," San Diegan Jason Martinez told CBS 8, "However, the optics are just horrendous."
Vance's wife, Usha Vance (née Chilukuri), has strong local ties - she grew up in Rancho Peñasquitos and is the daughter of a UC San Diego professor and provost. The couple's presence in San Diego over the holiday weekend, while expected by political insiders, drew amplified scrutiny due to Vance’s prominent national role and recent conservative positions.
In a message posted to social media, Vance acknowledged the Texas disaster, writing: "Our nation's heart breaks for the victims in Texas and their families. Just an incomprehensible tragedy. I hope everyone affected knows they’re in the prayers of my family, and millions of Americans."
Adding fuel to the controversy, multiple media outlets reported Vance was dining at the height of the flood crisis, raising questions about optics and empathy. "JD Vance, he's a United States citizen. He has every right to go out with his family and have a good time," San Diegan Jason Martinez told CBS 8, "However, the optics are just horrendous."
Vance's wife, Usha Vance (née Chilukuri), has strong local ties - she grew up in Rancho Peñasquitos and is the daughter of a UC San Diego professor and provost. The couple's presence in San Diego over the holiday weekend, while expected by political insiders, drew amplified scrutiny due to Vance’s prominent national role and recent conservative positions.
In a message posted to social media, Vance acknowledged the Texas disaster, writing: "Our nation's heart breaks for the victims in Texas and their families. Just an incomprehensible tragedy. I hope everyone affected knows they’re in the prayers of my family, and millions of Americans."
According to a widely circulated private message, purportedly summarizing a call with Raechel Kadoya, claims that she initially tried to deny service to Vance’s party, but was pressured to allow them in by members of his security team who insisted there was a "misunderstanding." She reportedly feared retaliation if they refused, citing her husband’s green card status and the vulnerability of their staff. The message stated the owners and staff were left shaken and traumatized. The message has not been independently verified. Soichi Sushi usually has its reservations fill up almost two months in advance.
The restaurant has not made an official statement, and repeated requests for comment have gone unanswered.
The dinner followed Vance's appearance the night before at a $2,500-per-seat event hosted by the Claremont Institute, a right-wing think tank based in San Bernardino County. There, Vance received the group's Statesmanship Award and shared the stage with Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk. The Claremont Institute has been criticized for its ties to efforts to overturn the 2020 election; senior fellow John Eastman, who helped draft a plan for then-President Trump to contest electoral results, faces disbarment for his role in those events.
On Monday, Vice President JD Vance’s motorcade was reportedly spotted near the famed Chino Farm in Rancho Santa Fe, drawing attention from residents who described a dramatic security presence. According to an eyewitness, the area was swarmed with “about 40 motorcycle cops and dozens of black SUVs,” with the entire street in and out of Chino Farm blocked off. “It definitely seemed like a president or someone with a ton of security,” the witness remarked, adding that the heavy police and Secret Service presence was unlike anything typically seen in the quiet agricultural community. While it has not been officially confirmed that Vance visited the farm, his presence in the region and the scale of the security detail suggest the high-profile visit was likely.
Vance, who is serving as finance chair of the Republican National Committee, is expected to continue his national fundraising tour with upcoming events in Nantucket and Jackson Hole. His San Diego stop, however, left behind a mix of political division, public outrage, and community concern for a small local restaurant caught in the crosshairs of a national political firestorm.
Originally published on July 8, 2025.
