Former President Donald Trump announced his selection of Ohio Sen. James David (J.D.) Vance, age 39, as his vice presidential candidate on July 17 through the Truth Social platform. Vance, elected into office in 2022, entered the American political sphere with a law degree from Yale and a military background. His impressive record is overshadowed by his dedicated loyalty to the former president.
Despite differences in experience and age, Trump and Vance share identical characteristics of extremism, bigotry and election denial. They even share similar speech mannerisms. Ironically, Vance once compared Trump to Hitler, yet his turnaround to being a die-hard defender of Trump ultimately secured his current position as Trump’s vice presidential pick. The striking parallel between both candidates highlights Trump’s rejection of bipartisanship and centrist politics.
Trump’s choice of Vance as his running mate underscores the former president’s political shortcomings and his unwillingness to consider viewpoints beyond his own, posing a significant threat to our democracy.
Trump’s vice presidential choice sends an already clear message to Americans: there is no middle ground in his administration.
Typically, a vice president is strategically chosen by a president to attract voters who might not support them but are influenced to do so because of the appeal of the vice president. For instance, President Joe Biden expanded his voter base by choosing Kamala Harris, a young woman of color. Preceding this pick, former President Barack Obama settled concerns about his limited political experience by selecting Biden, who had decades of public service on his record, as his running mate.
In contrast, both Vance and Trump lack substantial political experience and primarily appeal to far-right-wing voters. If Trump was sharper, he could have gone with someone like Nikki Haley, who would have appealed to center-right voters. Additionally, Haley would have attracted votes from women and independent groups that Trump would not reach with Vance.
Selecting Vance as his vice presidential candidate demonstrates Trump’s lack of strategic vision. He can only find success in feeding the fire of his far-right supporters. By only focusing solely on his fan base, Trump is neglecting the rest of the Republican Party, which is why numerous Republicans will be voting blue in November.
Given Trump’s history with his former vice president, Mike Pence, who faced death threats for upholding democratic principles by certifying the 2020 election, it is clear that Trump now seeks absolute loyalty in his close circle. Vance has proved his loyalty by standing alongside Trump, claiming that his criminal cases are politically motivated and sharing skepticism of the 2020 election results. This refusal of Trump to share political space with differing viewpoints poses a serious threat to democracy, which relies on compromise and the sharing of power. To further highlight this lack of bipartisanship, both Trump and Vance have expressed a desire to “drain the swamp,” which points to the idea of removing current federal employees and replacing them with like-minded people on the right.
Trump’s pick of Vance reinforces fears about the future of our democracy. The Supreme Court’s decision to side with Trump and allow him on state ballots despite his role in the Jan. 6 insurrection combined with the significant platform given to Vance further fuels growing right-wing extremism. Putting both extremists in power would continue the normalization of Trumpism and threaten fundamental values such as equality, progress and freedom. Our fragile democracy cannot handle another term of Trump’s rule.
The events of Jan. 6 were the greatest sign of this pronounced threat to our democracy. Republican state Sen. George Lang’s recent suggestion of a potential civil war if Trump loses the election, combined with Trump’s role in destroying a potential bipartisan border deal, emphasizes the dangers posed by his influence. Additionally, the looming prospect of Project 2025 poses the idea of the government shifting away from bipartisanship and political tolerance under Trump.
In today’s tense political climate, the United States needs a president who speaks to all Americans, not just a select group. A quick look at the audience at a Trump rally reveals the limited demographic Trump represents.
Trump’s extremism will only reach new heights if he once again gains the presidency. Voter turnout against the former president on Nov. 5 is crucial to stop a complete takeover of extremism and to protect our democracy.
Zahira Vasquez is the 2024-25 Assistant Opinion Editor. She can be reached at zivasque@uci.edu.
Edited by Trista Lara, Jaheem Conley and Jacob Ramos.