The Republican National Convention has wrapped up, and one of the biggest news items to come out of it was the announcement that former President Trump, now officially the party’s presidential nominee, had selected his running mate.
Ohio senator J.D. Vance was named Trump’s vice presidential nominee, the “Hillbilly Elegy” author also becoming the first millennial at the top of a ticket.
Vance brings an appeal to the MAGA base, but his isolationist tendencies may not be as welcomed by those pushing for the U.S. to maintain a supportive role to Ukraine in that country’s war with Russia. Chief among those are U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul, an Austin Republican who has been pushing for more foreign aid to Ukraine, says James Barragán, political reporter for the Texas Tribune.
“[Vance] doesn’t like these, what are called ‘forever wars,'” Barragán said. “He said on a podcast he doesn’t really care what happens to Ukraine. So it’ll be interesting to see if that stance changes or shifts.”
Barragán says McCaul has had ongoing conversations with Trump to try and convey the importance of keeping Ukraine free from Russia, and that the representative hopes such talks continue.
“But that is a noted stance from J.D. Vance, and that will be interesting to see where that goes and how that policy discussion continues as the campaign rolls on,” Barragán said.
Listen to more stories from the week in Texas politics in the audio player above.
