I hate JD Vance. He's a populist caricature who hates the free market for all but tech companies (I agree with him on the tech companies, but also favor the market for everyone else). I also think he's socially awkward, but in all seriousness that isn't disqualifying, it just hurts him electorally. I also think he's willing to traffic in indecency to score political points, see his whole act on Haitians and pets.
But I'd likely vote for almost any other R other than him, DJT Jr., or Tucker Carlson. So keep that in mind.
On the school shootings, neither political team is responsible, and I find it silly many play that game. Sadly, I think much of it relates to the extreme attention and images dating back to Columbine. We seem to be more on the downhill side of school shootings than we've been in awhile, which is good.