On Friday, Trump endorsed JD Vance in the Ohio Senate Republican primary. This follows his endorsement of Mehmet Oz in Pennsylvania’s Senate Republican primary and Herschel Walker in the Georgia Senate race.

The media has framed these endorsements as long-shot bets that “could put [Trump’s] desired image as a kingmaker at risk”. But this misses the point. What’s really at stake for Trump is the selling of Trump and his big lie that the 2020 election was stolen from him.

To get a strong endorsement from Trump, a candidate apparently must fulfill three prerequisites – run in a swing state whose primaries and general election will attract lots of media attention, be totally committed to Trump and his big lie, and be capable of promoting Trump and his lie with the kind of celebrity pizzaz that sells well on television.

Vance – celebrity author of Hillbilly Elegy – was originally appalled by Trump and his lie, and said so. But now that he’s running for the Senate, Vance has become one of the most forceful promoters of Trump […]