Is JD Vance the key to uniting the Republican Party? Congress weighs in

Since Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) became the Republican vice presidential nominee, people have commented on how President Joe Biden, 81, has been in politics longer than Vance, 39, has been alive. In 2016, Donald Trump became president without ever running for office but picked a seasoned politician, Mike Pence, to be his running mate.

This time is different. Vance, a freshman senator with only nearly 18 months of office under his belt, is not a traditional pick. As voters’ trust is eroding in the government and career politicians, could a political outsider such as Vance be what unites not only the Republican Party but also moderates to this ticket?

“Experience in Washington isn’t necessarily a recipe for success,” Rep. Kat Cammack (R-FL) said.

“Our party has shifted away from everybody waits their turn, and it’s now your turn.” Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) said.

Donalds believes paying your dues in politics is a dated notion and is the reason the Democratic Party is struggling. President Joe Biden ran his first campaign saying he would be a one term president; now he is facing calls to step down due to age and mental acuity.

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), who was in the running for vice president, said Vance was a really good choice.

“Think about the talent we have in our party that Donald Trump gets to pick from to fill out his administration,” Rubio said. “And the Democrats don’t even know who the nominee is yet.”

Cammack compared Vance with Biden’s numerous years of experience. “Biden had 40 years in the Senate, and he hasn’t exactly delivered results that he’s promised.”

“I think J.D. Vance will be a great complement to the president,” Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R-AR) said. “Vance is a powerful story, and I think he’s going to do a really great job connecting with Americans, particularly in the Rust Belt, and really fighting for the American worker, something that’s going to be really important for the November election.”

“The reason why we’re a more diverse party, and a younger party than the Democratic Party is because we’re not playing the old political games of waiting your turn,” Donalds said. 

Donalds added Trump’s picking of Vance signals the party no longer needs to “groom” people into “fully-formed politicians.”

“No, our party’s done with that,” Donalds said. “If you can do the job, and you can excel, we want you. Period. Full stop.”