Ian Ward

And I think you're starting to see Vance get the message a little bit and pivot a little bit away from some of the diplomatic issues and foreign policy issues towards issues like affordability.

So I think he's very, very sensitive to these coalitional dynamics and very sensitive to the criticism that America first is eclipsing MAGA in the administration's priorities.

And I think he's trying to correct that.

I'm not sure if it will be effective or in time for the midterms.

I think you'll see him out on the trail again selling some of these economic accomplishments.

What grade would you give the economy today?

A+++.

Definitely talking a lot about immigration.

I think immigration is at this point really the issue that's holding the otherwise somewhat fractious MAGA coalition together.

And I think they will run very prominently on the very precipitous drop in illegal border crossings and also whatever progress they've made on the mass deportations, despite the controversy that's kicked up.

Well, the decorum, of course, is not to talk about your presidential ambitions until you're actually a candidate for president.

And Vance clearly understands that and has said, you know, it's not my focus right now and denied that he's angling for it.

But I think everyone understands that he's the heir apparent and that it's his nomination to lose in 2028.

So I think his denials are mostly pro forma at this point.

Yeah.

The group of voters he is and probably should be most worried about are the 2024 Trump voters who do not identify as MAGA or even in some cases as Republicans who view themselves either as political independents or swing voters, the sort of...

Imagine podcast bro, right, who isn't a MAGA ideologue but was unhappy with the state of the country during the period of the election.

Talk to anybody who's broke.

Talk to anybody who's struggling to pay for bills and groceries.

So I think you want a businessman in there.