The obsessions of the extremely online right do not correspond with the concerns of most voters.
There are many problems with the Republican vice-presidential candidate JD Vance. He isn’t particularly personable – his awkward interactions with doughnut shop workers and even his own fans have gone viral. He obsesses over issues that make him seem prurient, such as female fertility, which he finds is lacking. He has an unfortunate penchant for insulting huge swathes of the electorate, notably women without children. He is, to put it in the ubiquitous term of this election, just kind of weird.
Some of this is just Vance having no charisma. But much of it is a reflection of how Vance is just extremely online – and most normal people find that off-putting. His fixation on certain niche, online-right causes, far removed from the concerns of everyday voters, creates a disconnect between his public persona and the values that resonate with mainstream Americans. In particular, his embrace of far-right talking points and online-driven debates make him appear less focused on the economic struggles, healthcare concerns, and other issues that most Americans face daily.
This disconnection is a major liability, especially in a time when voters are increasingly looking for leaders who can relate to their everyday concerns, not those driven by internet subcultures. The average voter cares about pocketbook issues, the state of the economy, and stability – concerns that Vance seems too distracted to fully engage with. His extreme positions on social issues, amplified by his online presence, alienate voters who feel his rhetoric does not reflect the diversity of American opinions or the complexities of their real lives.
Vance’s seeming inability to relate to average Americans underscores a broader problem for his candidacy. In an era where online movements increasingly influence political discourse, candidates like Vance risk alienating voters who are more interested in practical solutions than ideological purity. His focus on issues that stoke cultural wars may win him points with a specific base, but it does little to build the kind of broad coalition that can win a national election.
While his supporters may celebrate Vance’s rejection of mainstream political norms, for many Americans, his disjointed, online-driven persona makes him seem out of touch. The typical voter is not concerned with internet memes or online feuds; they care about their families, jobs, and futures. The growing divide between the concerns of the extremely online right and those of everyday Americans is one that Vance seems ill-equipped to bridge.
In short, JD Vance’s candidacy may very well be doomed by his inability to connect with ordinary voters. His embrace of online subcultures, obsession with polarizing topics, and failure to speak to the real issues people care about put him at odds with the very electorate he needs to win. Vance’s appeal, though strong in certain circles, simply does not resonate with a majority of the American public.
