Vice President JD Vance is the Republican National Committee’s finance chairman, a regular on the campaign trail, and the face of the administration’s anti-fraud initiative, but none of those are his biggest job.

Vance drew perhaps the most difficult assignment at the Republican midterm convention, a role he has repeatedly played since taking office and will be called upon to reprise again in 2028. He served as President Donald Trump’s emissary to voters who supported their ticket in 2024 but are disenchanted with at least some of what the administration has done in this second term.