The changing face of J.D. Vance
Post Reports
The Washington Post
4.4 • 5.1K Ratings
🗓️ 2 May 2022
⏱️ 18 minutes
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Summary
This Tuesday, Ohioans will vote in the primary ahead of this fall’s midterm elections. Today on “Post Reports,” we’re talking about the transformation of one candidate from never-Trumper to Trump’s pick for Ohio’s open Senate seat.
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Back in 2016, commentator and venture capitalist J.D. Vance was known for his memoir “Hillbilly Elegy,” about the ravages of poverty and drug use in his Ohio town. He made the rounds on talk shows like “Charlie Rose” and NPR’s “Fresh Air” explaining the conditions and mindset that had led so many people to support then-presidential candidate Donald Trump. But he himself decried Trump’s rise.
Fast forward to today. Vance is now the frontrunner for the Republican nomination for Ohio’s empty Senate seat. He’s a staunch member of a splinter group of the Republican Party called national conservatism, that advocates for tighter borders and cracking down on big business. He’s grown a beard. And he’s embraced Trump and his values, earning him the former president’s endorsement.
Magazine writer Simon van Zuylen-Wood followed Vance for weeks to try to understand his transformation and what his candidacy says about the state of the Republican Party. Today on “Post Reports,” we take you inside Vance’s campaign.
If you’re curious to learn more about the Ohio primary, read The Trailer from The Post’s Dave Weigel.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Hey there, it's Martine. |
| 0:03.6 | And before we start today's show, we just want to make a call out for some questions |
| 0:07.4 | about the pandemic. |
| 0:09.1 | So a lot of people were really struck last week when Dr. Fauci said that we are out of |
| 0:13.6 | the quote, pandemic phase. |
| 0:15.5 | He then came back and clarified that he meant that we're out of the acute phase of the |
| 0:19.8 | pandemic. |
| 0:20.8 | And then he said, we're out of the quote, unquote, full blown explosive pandemic phase. |
| 0:25.5 | But all of these terms really confused us, like how are we supposed to be thinking about |
| 0:29.8 | this moment? |
| 0:31.1 | So we are going to ask one of our science reporters about it. |
| 0:34.0 | And if you have questions about this, send us an email or voice memo to postreportsatwashpost.com. |
| 0:40.4 | And thanks. |
| 0:41.4 | I'm very pleased to introduce the man with, by far, the best chance to defeat the radical |
| 0:50.2 | Democrat nominee for the US Senate this November. |
| 0:55.0 | Under rally at a fairground in Ohio and late April, former President Trump officially endorsed |
| 1:00.8 | Senate candidate JD Vance. |
| 1:04.0 | Vance is 37 years old. |
| 1:05.7 | He's a political commentator and venture capitalist. |
| 1:09.0 | And for a long time, he was best known for his memoir, Hillbilly Elegy. |
| 1:13.6 | It came out in 2016 and it was about his life growing up poor in Appalachia. |
| 1:19.6 | Back in those days, JD Vance frequently denounced President Trump. |
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