Vance pivots to 2028 brand after midterm losses

Vice President JD Vance shifted his midterm campaign strategy to emphasize his own policy priorities—economic nationalism, foreign policy restraint, and public safety—rather than President Donald Trump’s signature issues, as Republicans lost control of Congress in Tuesday’s election. The deliberate change, confirmed by two sources familiar with the strategy, saw Vance bypass Trump’s policies like the Iran war and deportations, which polls showed were dragging down Republican candidates. Vance’s post-election social media post blamed the Iran war for the defeat and called for ending the conflict, a stance that publicly diverged from Trump’s defense of the war. Vance, viewed as a leading potential 2028 presidential contender, has not declared a run, and Trump has not endorsed anyone. His post was praised by Donald Trump Jr. and some conservatives, though Republicans lost in states where Vance campaigned, and some of his endorsed strategies may have hurt races.