Republicans gathered in Dallas to boost their November election chances. By Thursday night, some were already looking towards the next presidential contest.
JD Vance’s convention speech was interrupted by chants of “48”—a reference to the next US president and an unmistakable show of enthusiasm for his potential future candidacy.
Vance told the crowd to focus on November before worrying about what comes next.
Reporting published on Friday described Republicans leaving the gathering with continuing concerns about the midterms, alongside questions about the party’s future after Trump.
That is the awkward balancing act: rally around the current president while people in the room are already eyeing up his successor.
November has not happened yet, and the next race is already making itself comfortable.