How JD Vance could set himself up to be Trump’s GOP successor

But Trump’s decision to tap Vance as his running mate took the senator’s young political career to heights that have surpassed many of the more experienced Republicans on Capitol Hill — including onetime presidential candidates like South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz.

For a party that could face an identity crisis after Trump no longer dominates it, Vance is someone who could offer a transition, appealing to both moderate Republicans and Trump’s “MAGA” base.

During the debate, Vance showed that he could walk that line. He brushed aside questions about the 2020 presidential election results and the events of January 6, 2021, largely following the lead of other prominent pro-Trump Republicans. It showed that despite Vance’s efforts to take on a more congenial persona, there’d still be plenty of pro-Trump signals of support.

Mike Nellis, a former Harris senior advisor and “White Dudes for Harris” organizer, told Business Insider after the debate that Vance leaned into the Trump political brand in a way that would appeal to conservative decision-makers, who will have to envision a GOP universe where the ex-president isn’t the top figure.

“What he did do was articulate MAGA policies in a much more articulate and thoughtful way than what you hear from Donald Trump,” he said. “And there is value to that, but there’s value to that amongst a very small class of people, many of whom are positioning Vance to be the future of the MAGA movement.”

Of course, 2028 is a long way off, and Republicans remain focused on Trump’s reelection campaign, as Vance’s spokesperson, William Martin, made clear in a statement.

“The only thing Senator Vance is thinking about is making sure we put President Donald J. Trump back in the White House,”he said. “If we come up short this November, what happens in 2028 won’t matter because this country will be beyond saving.”