MILWAUKEE (AP) — Former President Donald Trump chose Sen. JD Vance of Ohio as his running mate on Monday, picking a onetime critic who became a loyal ally and is now the first millennial to join a major-party ticket at a time of deep concern about the advanced age of America’s political leaders.
We’ll see, at least with regards to Trump. Usually a VP is selected to “round-out” the ticket, to bring in additional votes from those who iffy on on the presidential candidate. But if this guy is already MAGA to extreme and a Trump loyalist (though he wasn’t always), what segment is that bringing in that wasn’t already planning to vote for Trump?
In other words, how many Republicans are there who don’t like Trump and wouldn’t vote for him, but now that Vance is there, will vote for Trump? I feel like that’s a pretty small number.
Vance is capturing conservatives who don’t like Trump’s age or his stupidity, and want a younger and more calculating candidate. He was, alongside DeSantis, once of the Trump-but-more-effective names in the primary.
Trump is not going to recapture Never-Trumpers; they have fled for Biden or RFK at this point. He’s going to recapture the disinterested right wingers who never liked him because they think he’s only in it for himself, instead of for their ‘side’. If you check conservative chat spaces, they’re absolutely ecstatic over this choice.