J. D. Vance?

[Shaula🏳️‍⚧️]

Is future Senator J. D. Vance a strong potential presidential candidate?
He has a good story, growing up in poverty, enlisting in the military and getting success in the business world. He is a populist and appeals to Obama-Trump voters through being way more left-wing economically compared to most Republicans, being vocally anti-corporatism and an isolationist on foreign policy, not to mention a trade protectionist. He also has charisma and is clearly a good speaker.
Is he a good presidential candidate for 2028 or 2032?

[President Johnson]

I think you have a point here, at least on paper. The things is just that candidates that looked good on paper somehow flamed out in presidential races. Depending on his tenure in the senate, he may indeed become a viable candidate for 2028 or beyond.

[One Term Floridian]

I think you have a point here, at least on paper. The things is just that candidates that looked good on paper somehow flamed out in presidential races. Depending on his tenure in the senate, he may indeed become a viable candidate for 2028 or beyond.

Looks good on paper; has a punchable face. He'd fizzle out on the national level

[TodayJunior]

It’s hard to know really. He seems like the perfect fit for Ohio, but obviously Ohio is no longer the national bellwether. In a good environment, I suppose it’s possible. There are worse GOP candidates out there.

[Ferguson97]

He's really young. If Ohio continues to trend right, he could be be a 5-term Senator and still be young enough to run for President. I don't think he could win yet, but if he builds up some credibility I could see him running down the road. But probably not 2028. Maybe 2032.

[brucejoel99]

It's possible, if he has the same presidential ambitions that every young Senator new to D.C. has. Whether he ultimately has what it takes to be elected President is obviously another matter. If nothing else, it'll certainly be interesting to watch a Yale-educated biotech venture capitalist under Peter Thiel try to put a salt-of-the-earth workingman schtick on in IA & NH.

[Brother Jonathan]

I can see him running, but he won the Senate primary because Trump endorsed him. His campaign did not seem all that well run, and I don't think he is all that good a politician. Maybe he will get better over time, but for right now he seems like something of a populist-right paper tiger like Hawley. Maybe as the populist right actually emerges in its own right and becomes more defined, he'd do better. Pre-Trump endorsement, his campaign of principled populist conservativism was trailing Josh Mandel's blatantly opportunistic and often incoherent Trumpian screeching, and until he has helped cultivate a base in the party, I tend to think the same thing would happen at the national level. He'd be fighting with Josh Hawley to be the Elizabeth Warren of the populist right in a party where that sort of semi-intellectual positioning is even less popular. But again, maybe in a few cycles that sort of populist right vote will have shored up and developed into a coherent bloc, and I do think there are groups actively trying to do that.

[BushKerry04]

No.

Good luck convincing independents and suburban voters in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and North Carolina that a guy who doesn't care about genocide occurring in Ukraine, who believes the 2020 election was stolen despite zero evidence, and who opposes abortion in all cases is the right choice for President.

[progressive85]

He kinda looks like Chucky the doll.  He doesn't have "the look" to be President, right Cheeto?

[Sir Mohamed]

He kinda looks like Chucky the doll.  He doesn't have "the look" to be President, right Cheeto?

Did Mr. Trump have "the look" to be prez?

[progressive85]

He kinda looks like Chucky the doll.  He doesn't have "the look" to be President, right Cheeto?

Did Mr. Trump have "the look" to be prez?

That was a reference to something said in the 2016 debates where Donald Trump said that Hillary didn't have "the look" to be president... i remember I was watching it and thought I had misheard, but no, that's what he said.

[BG-NY]

No.

Good luck convincing independents and suburban voters in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and North Carolina that a guy who doesn't care about the events in Ukraine, who believes the 2020 election was stolen despite zero evidence, and who opposes abortion in all cases is the right choice for President.

What suggests that most independents care to you?

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

No.

Good luck convincing independents and suburban voters in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and North Carolina that a guy who doesn't care about the events in Ukraine, who believes the 2020 election was stolen despite zero evidence, and who opposes abortion in all cases is the right choice for President.

What suggests that most independents care to you?

I'd be surprised if a war on the opposite side of the globe in which America was not a co-belligerent, would really influence what people think of a presidential candidate much, either way.

[Mr. Smith]

He kinda looks like Chucky the doll.  He doesn't have "the look" to be President, right Cheeto?

Did Mr. Trump have "the look" to be prez?

Yes, he did. Moreso in the 80s and 90s and when he tried for Reform.