WATCH: Vance pick for VP cements the GOP’s populist turn, strategist Lanhee Chen says

Republican strategist Lanhee Chen, a fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, said Monday that former President Donald Trump’s selection of J.D. Vance as his running mate cements the populist turn the Republican Party has taken.

“He really represents a very different perspective on economic policy than traditional Republicans might,” Chen told PBS News. “There’s also the obvious generational differences, 39-years-old would move the party in a very different direction from a leadership perspective.”

“From a political perspective, one can argue that he really changes the dynamic in the Midwest, that ‘Blue Wall’ that’s been talked about so much. He really allows Donald Trump to cement a lot more support in some of those states,” Chen added.

PBS News Hour co-anchor Amna Nawaz also asked Chen how the assassination attempt against Trump could change the race.

“I expect that we’ll see the polling bounce for the former president and he’ll gain support. The question is how durable those gains will be and where those gains are coming from,” Chen said. “If they’re coming from independent voters that might be something that’s a little bit more concerning to the Biden team.”