Zack Beauchamp explains the buildup to Trump's authoritarian running mate.
Just moments ago at the Republican National Convention, President Trump announced that J.D. Vance, the US senator from Ohio and author of the 2016 bestseller Hillbilly Elegy, is his running mate and candidate for vice president. A close reading of Vance's past writings and public comments tells us a lot about his worldview and how he might lead. Senior correspondent Zack Beauchamp writes:
J.D. Vance is a man who believes that the current government is so corrupt that radical, even authoritarian steps, are justified in response. He sees himself as the avatar of America's virtuous people, whose political enemies are interlopers scarcely worthy of respect. He is a man of the law who believes the president is above it.
For a comprehensive breakdown of Vance's rise to prominence and what to expect as Trump's new running mate, read Zack's full story.
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