In an article dated October 18, 2024, published in The Nation, current Republican vice-presidential nominee JD Vance is examined as an heir to Donald Trump. The piece explores the differences in their approaches, noting that while Trump has long navigated political landscapes through dubious claims and conspiracy theories with apparent ease, Vance appears to struggle with similar tactics due to a significant conscience burden.
Donald Trump’s rise to prominence was initially fueled by conspiracy theories, such as the birtherism movement that falsely claimed President Barack Obama was not born in the United States. His tenure has been marked by support for conspiracy narratives like Pizzagate and QAnon, which paint his political opponents as perpetrators of sinister plots. His acceptance of the “Big Lie” regarding the 2020 election’s legitimacy has become a core element of his supporters’ beliefs, portraying him as a righteous leader against a corrupt elite.
JD Vance, conversely, initially distanced himself from conspiracy theories, which he had dismissed as the product of “fringe lunatics.” However, aligning with Trumpism has led him to embrace various conspiracy theories, including unfounded claims about the federal government facilitating fentanyl distribution to harm conservative voters and the baseless notion that Haitian immigrants in Ohio were involved in pet abductions.
Vance has also propagated the Great Replacement theory, suggesting that elites are intentionally replacing the white population in the United States with non-white immigrants. This shift, NPR reported, indicates Vance has moved from intellectualism to conspiracism. However, writer Lindsay Beyerstein argues that Vance remains an intellectual who employs his skills to legitimize conspiratorial ideas within conservative circles.
Vance has defended working with conspiracy theorists by suggesting that even individuals holding unconventional or extreme beliefs can still hold significant truths. At the Teneo Network conference in 2021, Vance argued that “Believing crazy things” should not disqualify someone if they also understand important truths. This position indicates a broader attempt to unite disparate conservative factions, including religious and technological communities.
While conspiracy theories are not exclusively a right-wing phenomenon, with some liberals similarly partaking in unfounded narratives, Vance’s prominence signals their centrality to Republican strategies. Historical parallels are drawn, likening this trend to the legacies of Joseph McCarthy, Roy Cohn, and Donald Trump, suggesting a sustained ideological shift within the GOP.
Despite criticism and potential political ramifications, Vance’s embrace of conspiracism seems to be well-received within certain Republican circles and is likely to persist regardless of future electoral outcomes.
