The Republican Discard of Donald Trump has begun. They like the looting, the batshoot crazy Christian Nationalism, the

[artemisia1]

stripped regulation and the anti- this and that, but want a new figurehead. Yes, they may coalesce around JD Vance, but I am not entirely certain that is the case. If not, who do you think they may choose to keep the strip-mining and "Handmaid's Tale" direction of the country moving?

[Ocelot II]

1. I think there will be a free-for-all. Vance has money behind him,

but it seems like nobody likes him much and he has all the charisma of cold oatmeal, so I don't see him firing up what's left of Trump's MAGA cult. There are a lot of ambitious GOPers who won't wait until Trump is cold in his metaphorical or actual grave, and while we're partying in the streets they'll be honing their knives with which to stab Vance and each other in the back. Rubio, MTG, Stefanik, Thune?

[leftstreet]

2. It could take a couple years to reorganize

They've coasted on Trump and MAGA shenanigans. They have no coherent policies

[MineralMan]

3. I don't think Vance has the cojones to do much of anything.

He strikes me as a real nebbish. He's there to say "Yes," when asked. Beyond that, I don't think there's much in him that matters.

[CentralMass]

5. "They" just need a pen. Vance will do.

[AZJonnie]

7. I think there's no way we're all worse off with Vance in charge simply by virtue that I don't see him as a sociopath

Nor is he a total moron, nor does he have the cult-like grip on the wingnuts. The public will scrutinize his actions in a more normal manner across the board. I think he may actually care about his children too, so he may care about the world he leaves for them. Also he's much younger so will care about the world that will exist for him the rest of his (relatively presumably much longer) life vs Trump.

I don't like Vance by any stretch, but I'll take him over Trump pretty readily.

[yardwork]

12. I'll disagree. I think Vance is if anything worse than Trump.

I do see him as a sociopath. I don't think he cares about anybody but himself. He's also deeply racist and basically a total pig.

[Sogo]

13. You must not have seen some of the video clips of the crazy stuff Vance has said.

He's a follower of (I can't remember the name, the crazy guy who wants an American dictatorship).

[AZJonnie]

14. Curtis Yarvin, yeah, he's a nutter

This is very much a "lesser of two evils" assessment, let me be clear. But Vance has a brain, Trump does not. Besides that, the most important difference is that he does not have the hold over the cult like Trump does, and he lacks the charisma that Trump has (to a great many people, obviously not any of US). Regardless of whether he has some nutter views, he will be held more accountable than Trump has ever been if he were elevated to POTUS. Also, should the necessity arrive to handle a really serious crisis in the US, Vance is is demonstrably smart, unlike Trump who's a fucking MORON. If there were a Cuban Missile Crisis, you want Vance or Trump? I'd take Vance of those two unfortunate options

[lame54]

8. Trump is the Cult of Personality. Vance is the...

Dolt of Anonymity

[MineralMan]

9. Very well put!

[Fiendish Thingy]

4. The 2028 Republican primaries will be a glorious spectacle

It will be a Hunger Games style battle between the remaining MAGA die hards, the “never heard of him” Apostle Peter deniers, and maybe a never-Trumper or two (Liz Cheney?)

I can’t wait- the jockeying will begin a year from know, as the dust from the midterms settles.

[ms liberty]

6. This. This right here is the answer. Start stocking up on popcorn and spirits now

To lock in prices and ample supply!

[duckworth969]

10. Vance has Theil and his $

I think underestimating Vance is likely a mistake.

With Thiel’s billions, tech bro backing, and White Christian Nationalists behind him, Vance might be more difficult to beat than we imagine.

It’s not as much about him as it is about who’s backing him and how they’re going about it.

[artemisia1]

11. Good point. These folks will look for any puppet to continue their looting. /nt