In June 2016 JD Vance published his memoir, Hillbilly Elegy, and appointed himself explainer-in-chief of America’s white working class. Vance, who grew up in the rust belt city of Middletown, Ohio, was feted for his insights into the struggles of the left-behind communities in the former manufacturing heartland, and the otherwise inexplicable rise of Donald Trump. He delighted liberals by describing Trump as “cultural heroin”, asking if the presidential candidate might be “America’s Hitler”, and declaring himself a “never Trump guy”. Today Vance, the Republican senator for Ohio and candidate for vice-president, calls Trump “America’s last best hope”.
The simplest rationale for this turnaround is that JD Vance will say whatever it takes to get ahead. A more unsettling explanation is that he means precisely what he says. Instead of comforting ourselves with the notion that Vance is just being provocative, or playing to the Maga base with his attacks on “childless cat ladies”, antipathy towards abortion and suggestion that people with children should get more votes, we should be asking what he would do with power.
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