Former President Donald Trump made a bold move by choosing Senator J.D. Vance as his running mate. By doing so, Trump doubled down on the ticket’s appeal to blue-collar workers, underscoring his agenda for Make America Great Again. Trump has an instinctive grasp of what it takes to make America strong and prosperous, and Vance shares this vision.
Vance has a compelling story, one that begins with a difficult childhood and ends with him enlisting in the Marines and graduating from Yale Law School. He went on to serve in Iraq and later defeated long-time Representative Tim Ryan in a record-breaking Senate race.
While Vance has raised some concerns among foreign policy circles with his remarks on Ukraine, he believes Russian aggression is a threat to American leadership and national security. His comments on what he would have done on January 6, 2021, are less defensible, however.
Despite these potential shortcomings, Vance is a natural fit for Trump’s national conservative populism. Both Trump and Vance seek a strong, prosperous, and populous United States that can project power globally. They believe this can be achieved through secure borders, strategic trade agreements, and a regulatory environment that prioritizes economic growth and reindustrialization over environmental concerns.
In short, Vance’s resume is impressive, and he has a commanding presence on television that makes him a formidable opponent for Vice President Kamala Harris in their debate. Trump made the right choice in selecting Vance, someone who shares his vision for America’s future and will be a loyal lieutenant in his movement.
