MILWAUKEE, July 17 (Reuters) – When Senator J.D. Vance steps onto the stage at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee on Wednesday, many Republican Party loyalists will see him as the heir apparent to Donald Trump’s Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Trump’s selection of the 39-year-old Vance, a fervent populist, as his vice-presidential pick signals the former president’s belief that the MAGA movement can outlast his own tenure. Should Trump win the November 5 presidential election, he can serve only until 2029.
Shares of chipmakers fell Wednesday after both President Joe Biden and Trump made announcements that rattled the semiconductor industry.
Vance’s immediate task will be to solidify his MAGA credentials while also attracting voters who are skeptical of Trump. Vance, who once compared Trump to Adolf Hitler, has since become a staunch supporter. Erick Erickson, a conservative commentator, believes Vance, who gained national prominence with his bestselling memoir “Hillbilly Elegy,” can bridge this divide.
“J.D. Vance can speak Trump to people who don’t understand Trump,” Erickson told Reuters. “He can explain his agenda.”
That MAGA agenda, Erickson noted, is a form of economic populism focusing on the middle class, advocating for increased government involvement in the economy, and avoiding foreign entanglements. The MAGA movement itself combines media branding with Trump’s core supporters, who range from those harboring deep-seated racial grievances to policy-driven followers across the ideological spectrum.
“In Trump’s hands, it’s just instincts and impulses, some of which emerge from white grievance,” said Damon Linker, a political science lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania. “But in Vance’s formulation, it’s much bigger than that. Or at least he wants it to be.”
Vance, a Yale Law School graduate and former venture capitalist, is well-positioned to shape Trump’s often erratic vision into a coherent future strategy. While Trump relies on memorable slogans, Vance can articulate policy details in conservative forums and media interviews.
“He does bring an intellectual firepower to whatever MAGA stands for,” Erickson said.
The future of Trump’s movement hinges on whether someone less charismatic than Trump can effectively communicate its message, said Suzanne Schneider, a historian of conservatism at Oxford University. Critics argue that Trump’s celebrity and personality make him nearly irreplaceable.
Elected to the U.S. Senate less than two years ago, Vance has advocated for government action to support the working class, aligning with Trump’s MAGA agenda. His policies include limiting illegal immigration, restricting imports, raising the minimum wage, and curbing corporate excess. Last year, Vance collaborated with Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren on legislation to penalize bank executives for institutional failures.
Some at the convention see Vance’s selection as a sign of the MAGA movement’s evolution, with Trump ready to pass the baton.
“I see the selection of J.D. Vance as the continuation of Donald Trump’s policies, of America First policies,” said Chuck Hernandez, chair of the Chicago Republican Party. “We’re at the point where we needed to mature and go and continue.”
Vance is not alone; a new generation of MAGA followers is vying for influence. Potential rivals include tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, Arkansas Governor Sarah Sanders, and Donald Trump Jr., who has positioned himself as a behind-the-scenes power broker and supporter of Vance.
“There is an entire movement behind him full of people who are younger and smarter and will be better and more efficient in governing,” Schneider said.
Carla Sands, a former U.S. ambassador to Denmark and Trump fundraiser attending the convention, believes the MAGA movement will endure beyond Trump because of its middle-class focus.
“The working people in our country over the last 30 years have been left behind,” Sands said. “I consider them to be the forgotten men and women. And they’re forgotten no more under this movement.”
