Some Republicans are starting to seriously regret Donald Trump’s vice presidential nominee, Ohio Senator J.D. Vance.

It’s been only one week since Vance was nominated at the Republican National Convention, and already his own party members are expressing severe doubts about Trump’s pick. The former president’s allies have acknowledged that nominating Vance was the product of Trump’s absolute certainty that he would be able to defeat Joe Biden in November. While Vance wouldn’t do much for swing voters or independents, he would likely shore up support among Trump’s base.

But ever since Biden passed the torch to Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic Party’s new presumptive nominee, Republicans have begun to sour on Vance.

“The road got a lot harder. He was the only pick that wasn’t the safe pick. And I think everyone has now realized that,” one House Republican told Axios Thursday, under the condition of anonymity.

Another House Republican told Axios that Vance “doesn’t add much.”

  • Optional@lemmy.world
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    3 months ago

    Vance has been so embroiled in gaffes, he hasn’t even really gotten to expound on any of his “new right” ideas, such as his phony brand of conservative economic populism, or creepy pronatalism, or terrifying techo-authoritarianism.

    Trump’s campaign, however, released a statement doubling down on the former president’s increasingly unpopular pick.

    “President Trump is thrilled with the choice he made with Senator Vance, and they are the perfect team to take back the White House,” said campaign spokesman Steven Cheung, according to Axios.

    Phony, creepy, terrifying.

    And Steven Cheung, you need to understand nobody represents trump who doesn’t get shit on. Just saying. It’s your future. Hopefully you can represent yourself at trial.

    • ganksy@lemmy.world
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      3 months ago

      There must be a correlation with how hard campaigns double down and how close they are to actually reversing course.

      • Optional@lemmy.world
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        3 months ago

        Careful - you’re assigning reason, or at least logic, to the party of pizzagate, trump, a stupid failed coup, and drinking bleach.

        History teaches us this is where logic and reason come to die.

      • Promethiel@lemmy.world
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        3 months ago

        There is. The more they stumble, the more they are questioned. The answers to the question cannot be anything but utmost certainty because “maybe” is simply not a message that sways anyone.

        Pretty answers don’t change reality though, so the stumbles continue or even increase leading to more questions and the doubling down. You just can’t do anything else unless you’re ready to commit to another answer.