Vance, The "Populist" Ohio Senator, Brings Trump Youth and Obsequiousness

Presidential running mates are chosen for what they might politically to the ticket. J.D. Vance lobbied for the job, touting the most important contribution he'd bring to Donald Trump: obedience. 

The first term Ohio Senator turned from Trump-hater -- in 2016 worried that he would be an  "American  Hitler"  -- to total loyalist, echoing almost all Trump positions, including that the 2020 election was fraudulent and even last weekend blaming Biden for inciting the  assassination attempt on the former President. 

In announcing the selection on his Truth Social, Trump praised Vance's educational background, Yale Law School, and business background as a venture capitalist before winning a Senate seat two years ago.

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He does bring contrasts to the race, starting with youth. He'll turn 40 in a couple weeks where,as of now, the other contenders are a sexagenarian, a septuagenarian and an octogenarian. Four years in the Marines Corps, he's the only veteran in the race. He is the author of best selling book , "Hillbilly Elegy," about growing up in white, working class Ohio, that was turned into a movie. 

He is media-savvy, an effective right wing flame-thrower when on Fox News and more measured conservative when on more mainstream media or the Sunday interview shows where he usually comes out well.

Vance is one of four young, right wing, Ivy law school educated, right-wing Republican Senators. The most vocal is Ted Cruz, disliked even by most Republicans. (When there was a Supreme Court vacancy, Vice President Biden told President Obama if he appointed Cruz, there would be eight vacancies.) Josh Hawley of Missouri is more on the fringe, recently boasting about being a Christian nationalist. Tom Cotton of Arkansas is more the workhorse inside the institution.

Vance is the show horse, eager to display his sharp intelligence and iron clad certainty about his current position.

It’s doubtful that he, or any other possibilities, would make much difference electorally. Ohio is a red state which Trump should carry easily . Conceivably he could help the Republican running against the state's popular Democrat senator, Sherrod Brown. The notion that as a Midwesterner he would help states like Michigan and Wisconsin, is a reach.

Riding the fame of his book, Vance was repulsed by Trump in 2016, charging in addition to the Hitler analogy, that he was a "cynical asshole,"  proudly proclaiming he was an anti-Trumper, writing in another Republican in the general election.

His tune started to change when Trump was elected and Vance had political designs. He styled himself a populist in the Trump mold and embraced him in the 2020 election. He was on course to lose the Ohio GOP Senate primary until, near the end, Trump endorsed him and he won handily.  He also won the general election though he ran almost ten points behind the Republican Governor Mike Dewine.

The Ohio lawmaker has been a Trump devotee since. He was one of those who went to the New York courthouse to show support when Trump was tried and convicted of a felony. He disagreed with Vice President Mike Pence's decision to certify the  legitimate 2020 electoral votes, which Joe Biden won.

Then last weekend, he said President Biden bears some responsibility for the attempted  assassination of Trump because of criticism he leveled against the former President. The reality is, Trump's rhetoric has been far more inflammatory from claiming Barack Obama wasn't born in the United States to charging the Biden family is a criminal enterprise.

On foreign policy, he emulates Trump's America First neo-isolationism. He voted against aid to Ukraine; when pushed he will criticize Vladimir Putin but generally takes a softer line on the Russian dictator. He openly admires Hungary's strongman, Viktor Orbán.

Like the GOP Presidential candidate, his foreign policy hawkishness centers on China, arguing America should be spending much more on defense in Asia.

He is a self-styled populist and is quick to criticize corporate America. He supports high tariffs and mass deportation of undocumented immigrants, both of which he contends will boost wages and job opportunities for American workers. Many economists dispute that.

His populism often seems more rhetorical with few exceptions. He supports raising the minimum wage to $11 from $7.25, which would still leave many of those low income workers living below the poverty line. He shows little interest in raising taxes on the wealthy.

In a recent interview with a friendly New York Times reporter, he expounded on his philosophy. He  was articulate, exuding confidence. Yet, it came across more as a political posture than a substantive agenda.

Whether  Trump wins or not -- he is clearly favored if  Biden stays in the race, especially after the weekend shooting -- Vance, given his youth, would look like the heir to Trumpism. (He has forged a close friendship with the President's son, Don Jr.) Yet, the whims of Donald Trump are always subject to change. His Vice President, Mike Pence, not only is out of favor, but says he can't even vote for Trump this time.