As the 2024 presidential election approaches, a compelling new individual has emerged at the center of political discourse: Trump’s recently appointed vice presidential nominee,  JD Vance. His journey from a working-class Midwest upbringing to the Marines, Yale Law School, the United States Senate, and the national bestseller list with his memoir Hillbilly Elegy is well-documented, and Vance’s political views have been just as closely scrutinized. A self-proclaimed “Never Trump Guy” until the beginning of his senatorial career in 2021, Vance’s sudden ideological switch-up has raised questions among analysts and the general public. Are the evolution of Vance’s beliefs and his newfound support for Trump authentic or is Vance just an opportunist hoping to further his political career? 

These questions have led to a shift in Vance’s public perception. Vance received almost universal praise for Hillbilly Elegy and the memoir’s raw portrayal of the American Dream, but his vice presidential candidacy has prompted critics and the general public to re-examine his depiction of working-class life in rural Appalachia, with some dismissing his narrative as resentful, self-righteous, and smug [1]. Despite criticisms of his narrative, JD Vance’s political pivot appears authentic—or at the very least, reflects a stylistic adjustment rather than a complete ideological revamp. 

Hillbilly Elegy is both an autobiography and an ode to the culture in which Vance was raised. Born in Middletown, Ohio, to a mother in and out of rehab, raised by his grandmother and a constant rotation of father figures, Vance had a difficult childhood. He writes with a nostalgic fondness for Appalachia, where he spent portions of his youth, and the struggles of Rust Belt communities, to whom “poverty is a family tradition” [2]. After 9/11, Vance enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and served in Iraq before graduating from Ohio State and attending Yale Law School. After founding Our Ohio Revival, an organization geared towards supporting underprivileged children, Vance announced that he would be running for Ohio senator in 2021 [3].

Though a conservative, Vance’s advocacy for economic populism came as no surprise to readers of Hillbilly Elegy and those following his career, nor did his isolationist views, which reflect his hyper-focus on the economic and social plight of industrial towns in the Midwest. Vance’s support for isolationist policy has raised eyebrows among hawkish members within the Republican Party but received full support from Trump, whose views on foreign policy Vance echoes. In a 2022 podcast interview with Steve Bannon, Vance stated, “I don’t really care what happens with Ukraine one way or another.” He subsequently opposed the $61 billion aid package for Ukraine passed by the Biden administration earlier this year, with his experience in the military reinforcing his distaste for what he perceives to be an unnecessary risk of lives and resources [4, 5]. All in all, J.D. Vance’s ideological views dovetail with Trump’s right-wing populism and nationalist conservatism. Though the running mates may not agree on certain specific policies, such as American involvement in Taiwan—Vance believes that involvement is necessary, Trump not so much—it is in Vance’s interest to “let Trump be Trump.” Vance’s uncompromising approach to foreign policy will likely align relatively smoothly with Trump’s similarly hard-line diplomatic methods [6]. 

The question remains: how much of Vance’s ideological realignment can be attributed to his desire for a vice presidential appointment? Vance was harshly critical of Trump during the 2016 election cycle and his opening term, calling him “America’s Hitler” in a private email to an associate, but has since become one of Trump’s most stalwart supporters. Vance attributes his change of heart to a gradual realization that his opposition to the former president was “rooted in style, rather than substance” and that their core values were, in fact, similar [7].

It is undeniable that Vance has recognized the need to appeal to a voter base such as Trump’s to maintain relevance. In a political spectrum in which the policy positions of the left and right are constantly shifting, heavily dependent on the current candidate and context, realigning oneself with a figure like Trump is potentially the most effective method of achieving long-term recognition [8]. How likely is JD Vance to continue to champion the same ideologies if Trump’s influence falters? Based on Vance’s history, his working-class childhood, and his voting record in Congress, it is certain that Vance will continue to support a populist agenda. Core elements of his appeal to the American Dream in Hillbilly Elegy align with Trump’s base and Vance’s experience in the military may have reinforced his resistance to foreign involvement, while his advocacy work suggests that his commitment to economic populism has been long-standing. With their shared foundational beliefs, it is not difficult to believe that Vance’s ‘style, not substance’ explanation holds weight. Is JD Vance truly a man of the people? Though his celebrity status has skyrocketed in recent years, it is undeniable that he has been and will continue to be an advocate for the working class long after Trump’s influence wanes.