Vance pick an outside-the-park homer
Donald Trump’s pick of US senator J.D. Vance threw me for a loop. It was a pleasant surprise. But, typically, guys and gals who think like Vance (and us) don’t get rewarded with honors like that.
Granted, I am going to miss him in the US Senate. Vance has been one of a handful in that body’s GOP caucus that has paid any attention to the party platform.
For the longest time, political wise men had their theories about picking running mates. *You need geographic balance. People from different regions of the country. *
Clinton and Gore turned that piece of wisdom on its head in 1992 and 1996.
*You need ideological balance on the ticket.*.
Vance is a passionate believer in Trump’s America First platform and has proven himself an eloquent defender of that message.
Ronald Reagan and his team were so worried about finding balance in 1980. Reagan actually considered Gerald Ford before settling on George Bush. Bush gave lip service to the Reagan agenda while his cronies worked overtime behind the scenes sabotaging it. George H.W. Bush‘s one term in office offered plenty of evidence of what the Bushes really thought of conservatism.
Just imagine if Ronald Reagan had an actual ally — a true believer — and an eloquent defender of his agenda out there as his running mate.
J.D. Vance racked up an impressive record in the private sector and the military prior to entering the political arena in 2022. He has a ”rags-to-riches” story that seems made for a TV or movie script. (In fact, it actually was.)
Here Vance is with Megan Kelly — during her short NBC phase.
Heritage Action gave Vance a 93 percent conservative rating for 2023. (The average Republican senator scored a weak 61 percent.)
The Club for Growth put Vance in a five-way tie for 16th place in their conservative ratings for 2023. Vance received an 83 percent rating. Compare that to Ted Budd‘s 6th place tie and score of 92 percent and Thom Tillis‘s 45th place ranking and conservative score of 51 percent.
Vance has been right there with most of us on key issues like aid to Ukraine and out-of-control government spending.
Vance is a lot like Trump in one sense. The media and the establishment used to love, love, love him. But THAT was then. (This is now.)
Regardless of what you do as an elected official, people will criticize you.
The important thing is staying true to your core values and principles. Because, although others will criticize you, you will never criticize yourself.