The Fate of Never Trumpers: Vance's Victory Seals the Triumph of Trumpian Populism

Ohio Senator JD Vance's strong performance in the vice-presidential debate has solidified the dominance of Trumpian populism within the Republican Party, leaving Never Trumpers disillusioned and irrelevant.

Ever since Donald Trump's emergence as the GOP presidential nominee in 2016, a small but vocal group of purported Republicans in media and politics have harbored the fervent hope that he would lose his grip on the party. The vice-presidential debate, however, has shattered their aspirations.

Sen. JD Vance's impressive showing in the debate has effectively put an end to the theory that Trump's downfall would lead to a restoration of their conservative brand. Vance's command of the issues and surprising affability demonstrated that he is a major political figure capable of embodying Trump's populism in a sophisticated manner.

The Fate of Never Trumpers: Vance's Victory Seals the Triumph of Trumpian Populism

Vance's adherence to Trump's four pillars of populism – anti-globalism, a strong border, energy independence, and opposition to wokeness – stands in stark contrast to former Vice President Mike Pence's establishment-friendly conservatism.

The cover of Time magazine this week acknowledged the emergence of "The New Right," a term synonymous with the changes wrought by Trump within the GOP. Vance's focus on protecting the core tenets of this movement underscores the irrelevance of Never Trumpers who seek to return to the days of traditional conservatism.

The Fate of Never Trumpers: Vance's Victory Seals the Triumph of Trumpian Populism

The rise of up-and-coming GOP figures such as Vivek Ramaswamy, Tim Scott, Marco Rubio, Ron DeSantis, and even Nikki Haley, who have largely embraced Trumpian policies, further cements the dominance of the New Right.

Despite the overwhelming shift towards populism within the Republican Party, groups like "Republicans for Harris" persist in their efforts to win support, albeit with limited popular appeal.

The Fate of Never Trumpers: Vance's Victory Seals the Triumph of Trumpian Populism

The Never Trump movement's opposition to Trump's priorities and policies, from border security to free trade, energy production, and wokeness, exposes their true motivation – maintaining the status quo of neoliberalism and globalism.

Vance's performance against Walz has effectively sealed the fate of Never Trumpers, leaving them irrelevant and disillusioned. The fight for the future of the Republican Party is over, and the New Right has emerged victorious.

The Fate of Never Trumpers: Vance's Victory Seals the Triumph of Trumpian Populism

The Never Trumpers are faced with a choice: accept the triumph of Trumpian populism or become Democrats, losing their value as a counterbalance within the GOP. Irrelevance has befallen them, as the future of the Republican Party lies with the New Right and its adherents.