Early nominations offer Vance chance to leverage himself as Trump’s heir apparent

President-elect Donald Trump has been the GOP’s ultimate mover and shaker since 2015, using his influence to impact the party far beyond his own political career. Vice President-elect JD Vance now has the opportunity to make his own mark.

Vance, still a young senator from Ohio, has shepherded some of Trump’s Cabinet picks and can use his ties to colleagues to promote others. He’s also in touch with Ohio Republican Gov. Mike DeWine, who is considering who to choose to replace Vance in the Senate until 2026, when that person will then have to run in a special election to fill the remainder of the Senate. headquarters mandate.

It’s unlikely that Vance – or anyone – will be able to emulate Trump’s unique ability to affect change within the party. But Vance is the second-highest-ranking Republican in the country and is considered Trump’s heir apparent, giving upcoming opportunities a chance to glimpse the power the 40-year-old wields within the Party republican to promote the objectives of the new administration, but also its own roots, beyond its formal role. .

“It’s pretty clear that he’s in pole position after Trump to help lead the party. So I think he’s going to take these opportunities to show the party that he’s a loyal soldier to Donald Trump, but he is also going to be a future force to be reckoned with,” said former Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus, who remains in touch with Trump’s team.

Vance isn’t a sherpa for every Cabinet pick, but he escorted former GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz, Trump’s failed attorney general pick, and Pete Hegseth, chosen to lead the Pentagon, around Capitol Hill . He’s also calling his Senate colleagues about some Trump Cabinet picks, according to people familiar with the matter.

He also maintains what one source described as semi-regular contact with DeWine as the two-term governor considers who to appoint to the Senate seat Vance is vacating. The decision is ultimately up to DeWine, and there doesn’t currently appear to be a front-runner for the role, but sources said they would be surprised if the person was someone who rubbed Vance and Trump the wrong way sense.

“Ohio is his domain, so I think you can expect his voice in the upcoming Senate race to be important,” a source close to Vance said. “There is a desire to land someone that everyone involved will be happy with, DeWine, Trump and JD.”

Certainly, Vance can’t get things done so far with Cabinet confirmations and Senate nominations, decisions that belong to a Senate seeking opportunities to assert its independence and to a governor who has run up against Trump but remained electorally viable. There will also be tougher battles ahead as the next administration works to strengthen its policy priorities, and Trump will continue to run the show as the dominant political figure who practically blocks out the sun.

But the dual nomination conversations could offer early indications of the extent to which Republicans listen when Vance speaks, even as someone’s No. 2.

“He speaks to [senators] a lot,” said a source close to Vance. “They are his colleagues for another four weeks. So yes, he works on the phone. He was at the Capitol this week. I think he wants to see people step up so the administration can hit the ground running on day one.

“He is a substitute when the president has to be in several places at the same time. He is influential, but I don’t know if he is more persuasive than the president himself. It is increasing,” the person added.

Vance has already seen some of his allies rise within the new administration.

James Braid, who was Vance’s deputy chief of staff in the Senate, will be the White House’s official liaison to Congress. Daniel Driscoll, another Vance ally, was named Secretary of the Army. Trump chose hedge fund manager and Vance friend Scott Bessent as Treasury secretary after donating millions of dollars to the presidential race.

And Vance has already proven his influence by helping Ohio Republican Sen. Bernie Moreno win Trump’s support in this year’s Ohio Senate primary, then taking him across the finish line against the Democratic senator from Ohio, Sherrod Brown, who had defied political gravity for years. several cycles.

There have also been setbacks: Gaetz withdrew his name after allegations of sexual misconduct weighed on his nomination, and Hegseth faces headwinds due to allegations of sexual assault and excessive drinking. alcohol which he denied. However, it is unclear how much outside help could improve their chances given the seriousness of the allegations.

“This is an opportunity to see how many of Vice President-elect Vance’s confidants end up in the Cabinet, and whether they are Cabinet Secretaries, or whether this is some other place to be Of serious interest is the undersecretaries,” said Steve Stivers, a former congressman who heads the Ohio Chamber of Commerce. “It’s not just cabinet secretaries, but also deputy secretaries who matter here, because these are people who fill out their resumes and are ready to advance.”

Still, there is no guarantee that Vance will be able to be as influential as possible to the vice presidents in the Trump White House.

The president-elect is notoriously wary of others getting too much attention, and there could be other prominent Republicans who are also expected to become power players after Trump leaves office, including Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, chosen by Trump to lead the party. The State Department and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is rumored to be in the running for Pentagon chief if Hegseth’s nomination fails.

“Obviously he has a great opportunity here. But I think if people say it’s a done deal that JD Vance is somehow ahead of the rest of the field today, I just don’t think not that that’s accurate,” a former senior Trump aide said. administrative official.

“What is he going to do outside of Trump’s shadow, it’s actually him, he’s not the one acting as a liaison to Donald Trump? And among those things, what does- Who annoys Donald Trump? Because he’s a guy who doesn’t really like people who operate outside of his shadow.

But ultimately, Vance will have a higher platform than any other Republican in the country except for one, and Trump enters office as a lame duck due to constitutional term limits, perhaps leaving Vance well positioned for a potential void. in a party dominated by Trump for nearly a decade.

“Trump chose him for a reason, and that reason is to carry the torch. Now he’s 40. This guy could be around for a while. Trump was looking to the future,” said Mike Hartley, strategist of the Ohio GOP. “I think he’s going to give him every chance to succeed.”