The pre-Trump GOP is coming for Vance ahead of 2028

Recent columns in The Wall Street Journal's opinion section have taken aim at Vice President JD Vance, questioning his suitability as President Donald Trump's potential heir. Kimberley Strassel and Allysia Finley, two members of the Journal's editorial board, have penned criticisms accusing Vance of being too self-promoting, too eager to court Tucker Carlson, and too thin-skinned.

The arguments focus on three main points: Vance's ambitions over governing, his unsavory personality, and his naivety in defending controversial decisions such as Iran's memorandum of understanding and its public image. Some of Vance's critics are Pro-Israel conservatives, traditional Republicans who wish to revert back to pre-Trump Conservatism, and the Murdoch empire, which opposed Trump during his initial campaigns and later adapted.

These groups unite in their opposition to Vance's potential VP nomination on The Journal's opinion page. Vance's supporters counter the criticism by arguing that the paper is fighting the last war, clinging to an outdated vision of conservatism that the party has moved away from. Instead, they claim, Vance's support among Trump's base demonstrates his alignment with the party's grassroots.

The columnist also cites support from a Trump administration official and a donation from Ken Griffin, a major GOP donor, who prefers Rubio over Vance. Ultimately, the evolving nature of the GOP, which Trump shaped, suggests that Vance will need to demonstrate his ability to navigate this new landscape if he were to run for president.