Where this was said
The Future of the Bro Vote: JD Vance and the Meme Presidency
At 29:27 · chapter starts 26:40
With the 2028 horizon already in view, Herndon asks Posobiec who can replicate Trump's cultural connection with young men. Posobiec's answer is JD Vance — but not simply as a Trump continuation [1] — Jack Posobiec "Trump posts memes. JD Vance IS the meme. Jack Posobiec says Vance has immersed himself in internet culture to a depth Trump never reached, …" 26:40 . Where Trump is a 'retweeter,' Vance 'breathes the memes,' portrays himself as the meme, and has fully immersed himself in the internet culture that defines young male political identity in 2025. Posobiec also highlights Vance's unique connection with military veterans, calling his camaraderie with troops 'unmatched' as a fellow veteran. On the Democratic side, Posobiec grudgingly acknowledges a nascent strategy: running white male veteran populists with economic populist messaging, pointing to Grant Plattner as an early trial run. He's skeptical — he doesn't see a Democrat who can pull it off credibly — but admits the strategic logic is sound and predicts Democrats will continue refining it. The implication is that the 'bro vote' is not structurally Republican; it's up for grabs, and the party that speaks most convincingly to economic pain and masculine identity will win it [2] — Jack Posobiec "JD Vance 'breathes the memes' of internet culture: Jack Posobiec argued JD Vance has fully immersed himself in meme and internet culture in…" 27:10 .
Trump posts memes. JD Vance IS the meme. Jack Posobiec says Vance has immersed himself in internet culture to a depth Trump never reached, making him uniquely positioned to carry the bro vote into the next election cycle.
Jack Posobiec argued JD Vance has fully immersed himself in meme and internet culture in a way Trump never did, making him uniquely positioned with young men.
Jack Posobiec sees Democrats trying to court young men with white male veteran populists — pointing to Grant Plattner as an early test of that strategy. He's skeptical but admits the approach is real, and warns Democrats could overcorrect into parody.
Astead Herndon concluded that softened young male support for Trump doesn't make those men Democrats, but does make them a genuine opportunity for Democrats heading into the midterms.
Young male voters souring on Trump isn't a gift to Democrats — it's an opening. Astead Herndon's reporting makes clear these men don't identify with either party; they're available, grievance-driven, and looking for whoever speaks to their wallet first.
Young men at the UFC event consistently cited gas prices, the Iran war, and lack of Epstein file transparency as their reasons for souring on Trump.
