2024 Elections Thread

[Sun_Worshiper]

Not sure what he brings to the ticket, since most of the electorate has never heard of him and Ohio is already solidly Red. But VPs generally don't matter that much and certainly Trump will be the star of this show.

[Diogenes]

His book Hillbilly Elegy was a best seller, and they even made a movie of it with Glenn Close and Amy Adams. And he's a frequent guest on Faux News. And he'll help clinch the Rust Belt because of it.

[spork]

His book Hillbilly Elegy was a best seller, and they even made a movie of it with Glenn Close and Amy Adams. And he's a frequent guest on Faux News. And he'll help clinch the Rust Belt because of it.

Perhaps most importantly, he's become a craven toady who is desperate to trail in Trump's shadow.

[Diogenes]

His book Hillbilly Elegy was a best seller, and they even made a movie of it with Glenn Close and Amy Adams. And he's a frequent guest on Faux News. And he'll help clinch the Rust Belt because of it.

Perhaps most importantly, he's become a craven toady who is desperate to trail in Trump's shadow.

He was a "Never Trumper" until Trump won the first time. Then he got lockstep in line.

[Sun_Worshiper]

His book Hillbilly Elegy was a best seller, and they even made a movie of it with Glenn Close and Amy Adams. And he's a frequent guest on Faux News. And he'll help clinch the Rust Belt because of it.

That's possible, and I'm sure it is part of Trump's calculation, but realistically how many rust belt swing voters read his book? And being a frequent guest on Fox News is great for turning out the base, but that isn't what Trump needs to do.

[Diogenes]

He's also a millennial (about to have his 40th birthday) with a heavy personal social media presence. So I could see him being an attempt to keep the young chronically online alt-right engaged.

[Sun_Worshiper]

^^ That's good for base politics. But Trump has the base locked. A seemingly more logical tactic would be to pick someone who could appeal to more traditional Republicans. But VP usually doesn't matter anyway and that will probably be the case here.

[dismalist]

The most coherent hypotheses I've read about why Trump picked Vance were

1.  It makes the PA, Wisconsin, Michigan nexus more sure to block Biden, i.e. reduce own uncertainty and increase the other side's.

2. He is the attack dog on Kamala Harris, who could be expected to become President in the next four years should Biden win. Given Biden's state, she's in the race for President even if her slot is just VP.

[Diogenes]

Thinking about it more, I'm sticking to the youth vote. Us millennials and zoomers do not care how many corndogs a candidate eats at the Iowa State Fair or how many babies they kiss in New Hampshire. The way we perceive candidates as real is they have an honest social media presence. Vance chats with alt righters and nerds out about video games to other gamers online. That's the future of looking "real" to voters. Us youth see two grandpas and a cop on the tickets otherwise. That's how they are perceived, even by their "loyal" base. The youth won't show up for either without a reason. The younger you are the least likely you are to vote, but Biden/Harris have not given the youth any reason to change that behavior besides "Not Trump."   

[Ruralguy]

He has connections to Silicon Valley and can help make Trump money via his media company or other possible avenues. Besides that, maybe he can help with youth votes or rust belt votes.

[Antiphon1]

He has connections to Silicon Valley and can help make Trump money via his media company or other possible avenues. Besides that, maybe he can help with youth votes or rust belt votes.

Ding!  Rural guy for the winning answer.  Look at the money first, last, and always.  The RNC is broke. 

[ciao_yall]

Maybe he'll end up doing a Sarah Palin and sinking the ticket?

The party elite and gazillionaire donors were not happy with the pick.

[spork]

Maybe he'll end up doing a Sarah Palin and sinking the ticket?

The party elite and gazillionaire donors were not happy with the pick.

There is no party elite anymore, just sycophants, trolls, and cult members. It doesn't matter if the RNC is broke because the RNC is now irrelevant. The media is happy to give Trump as much free advertising as he wants, the campaign does not need to buy air time on broadcast networks that no one watches anyway. Part of Trump's message is that he speaks directly to the people, unfiltered and uncensored by the corrupt establishment.

The big donors of the Hamptons et al. donate freely to both sides because they think it buys influence regardless of who wins.

[marshwiggle]

Part of Trump's message is that he speaks directly to the people, unfiltered and uncensored by the corrupt establishment.

This is the biggest single reason Trump has so much appeal, and so many people, including unfortunately most Democrats, and most media , seem completely oblivious to why it matters so much.

[ciao_yall]

Maybe he'll end up doing a Sarah Palin and sinking the ticket?

The party elite and gazillionaire donors were not happy with the pick.

There is no party elite anymore, just sycophants, trolls, and cult members. It doesn't matter if the RNC is broke because the RNC is now irrelevant. The media is happy to give Trump as much free advertising as he wants, the campaign does not need to buy air time on broadcast networks that no one watches anyway. Part of Trump's message is that he speaks directly to the people, unfiltered and uncensored by the corrupt establishment.

The big donors of the Hamptons et al. donate freely to both sides because they think it buys influence regardless of who wins.

True. And the Elon Musk backed PAC will be quite well-funded.