Anna Hartz
A new report now offers another look at Vance’s views during the 2016 election.
Political careers can change dramatically over time. Few examples are as striking as JD Vance, who went from being a sharp critic of Donald Trump to becoming his vice president and a prominent figure in the MAGA movement.
Advice on how to beat Trump
According to Vanity Fair, Vance tried to contact senior members of Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign and offer advice on how she could defeat Trump.
People familiar with the conversations said Vance wanted to speak with Jake Sullivan, who was a senior policy adviser to Clinton at the time, reports The Independent. An intermediary recalled Vance asking for an introduction. Sullivan eventually met with him, according to the report.
During the meeting, Vance reportedly discussed the importance of the so-called Blue Wall states. These included Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. He also mentioned Ohio, his home state.
Vance reportedly argued that Clinton needed to pay more attention to voters in the Rust Belt and address growing support for populist politics. One source said Vance believed she should spend more time in those states rather than focusing on high-profile appearances elsewhere.
Completely wrong
He also reportedly urged the campaign to deal with Clinton’s controversial description of some Trump supporters as a “basket of deplorables.”
Clinton ultimately lost Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, as well as Ohio, in the 2016 election.
Vance’s spokesperson rejected the idea that he was trying to help Clinton win. Taylor Van Kirk told Vanity Fair that the characterization was completely wrong.
However, people who knew Vance at the time told the magazine that his private views were different. One person recalled Vance saying that he disliked Clinton but feared Trump even more.
Vance’s earlier criticism of Trump has been documented before. His former Yale Law School roommate, Josh McLaurin, previously shared a 2016 message in which Vance described Trump as a potential “America’s Hitler” and warned that he could become a dangerous political figure.
Vance has since changed his position dramatically. In a June interview, he said his earlier belief that Trump would be a failed president had proved wrong. He also said he had underestimated how poorly some American institutions were functioning.
The new report adds another chapter to the story of how Vance moved from Trump critic to one of his most prominent political allies.
Sources: The Independent, Vanity Fair
