For many conservatives of the classical liberal stripe, former President Donald Trump’s selection of Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) as his running mate was somewhat of a watershed moment.

Vance went from being a vocal Trump critic to being one of the first Republicans to endorse his 2024 run in an op-ed in January 2023. Not only that, but Vance also embraced Trump’s brand of populism, decrying free trade and foreign intervention and supporting a more significant role for the federal government in matters related to the economy. Dan McLaughlin of National Review tweeted, “Trump picking Vance is a giant middle finger to conservatives, but we’re used to that by now.”