JD Vance, the Republican senator from Ohio and Donald Trump's running mate, has developed a reputation for advocating an aggressive use of government power to advance conservative goals. While some see Vance as ideologically flexible, he has been consistent in recent years in pushing Republicans to use every available lever of state authority, even if it means testing the boundaries of the constitutional system.
Vance has drawn inspiration from a variety of right-wing thinkers and movements, including postliberal conservative Catholics, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, and even monarchist bloggers. He argues that Republicans must be willing to get pretty wild and go in directions that make many conservatives uncomfortable in order to effectively counter what he sees as the ruthlessness of the political left.
Some of Vance's proposals fall well outside the traditional political mainstream. He has called for Republicans to seize the endowments of left-leaning universities by dramatically changing the tax code. Vance has suggested giving parents extra votes in elections, one for each child, to dilute the electoral power of the left. He speaks forcefully about wielding power, arguing that conservatives are still terrified of fully using the tools of government to achieve their aims.
On foreign policy, Vance takes a skeptical view of American global leadership and military interventions abroad. He has been a leading Republican voice against aid for Ukraine, arguing that the era of American hegemony is over. Domestically, Vance rarely dwells on traditional conservative priorities like limiting the size of government. Instead, he encourages Republicans to use state power to reshape cultural institutions he sees as captured by the left.
Vance's intellectual evolution has taken him far from mainstream conservatism. He has praised conspiracy theorist Alex Jones as more credible than mainstream media figures. Vance has also expressed admiration for European nativist movements, wondering why more politicians don't heed voters' desires for reduced immigration. His views align closely with those of former Trump advisor Steve Bannon in their willingness to push constitutional boundaries.
On social issues, Vance has taken hardline conservative stances while trying to present himself as a generational break from older Republicans. He supports a federal abortion ban with limited exceptions. Vance has lamented cultural changes around marriage and family, while also stressing tolerance on issues like same-sex relationships. He has introduced legislation to eliminate diversity and inclusion programs from the federal government.
In the Senate, Vance has used his position to advance his ideological goals. He issued a questionnaire to potential ambassadors asking about hot-button cultural issues like gender-neutral bathrooms. Vance argues that Republicans should stack government agencies with appointees willing to take a side in the culture war. While the exact policy outcomes of a second Trump administration remain uncertain, observers expect Vance would encourage an aggressive approach that tests the limits of executive power.
