Vance Ensures the Trump Era Will Not Be a Dead End

The Republican Party platform, released last week, was dedicated “To the Forgotten Men and Women of America,” foreshadowing the former President Donald Trump’s choice of running mate. Ohio’s Senator J.D. Vance, of Hillbilly Elegy fame, built his public profile on refusing to forget: the people he grew up with, and more broadly, the workers, families, and communities globalization left behind. By choosing a young, capable, and forward-thinking running mate, Trump has paved the way for the next generation of conservative leaders—one defined by concern for workers, families, communities, and industry, and a willingness to act.

Ever since Trump was elected in 2016, the GOP has struggled, in fits and starts, to deliver on the promise of a truly multi-ethnic, working-class conservative majority. The choice of old-guard Mike Pence as vice president was perhaps necessary for electoral victory, but it was indicative of a deeper confusion. While Amb. Robert Lighthizer was pursuing America’s interests in trade negotiations, the administration’s marquee legislative achievement was a Paul Ryan–led tax cut.

The selection of Vance suggests that, should their ticket win in November, round two will be different. Rather than picking a vice president based on the polls or some overpaid consultant’s suggestion, Trump chose a running mate who has quickly established himself as one of a new generation of leaders in the Senate, alongside Senators Josh Hawley (R-MO), Marco Rubio (R-FL), and Todd Young (R-IN). This group takes seriously the importance of worker power, strong families, and domestic manufacturing. They have proposed generous family benefits, supported industrial policy, and worked to earn the support of labor unions.