If you’re looking for the best Russia proxy in the Congress, it’s not MTG. It’s Senator Vance:
Here’s how this ties together:
- Delay Ukraine and let Russia keep its assets (obvious).
- Delay Taiwan: The PRC is currently keeping Russia’s defense industrial base on life support. Vance wants to keep the PRC comfortable and confident that they can continue to do so and face no real consequences or need to redirect away from supporting Russia.
- Border: Keep culture war fanned and attempt to distract Americans from real threats.
Vance and his book rose to prominence because of a network of Viktor Orban-tied conservative influencers including Tucker Carlson but also less-known figures like Rod Dreher, formerly of the American Conservative. Dreher now lives in Hungary and works openly for a regime institute. He connected Tucker and Orban and he also plugged in Vance, who also repeats Orban platitudes.
If you’re looking at my bet for “malign and not just dumb,” it’s Vance. These consistent takes that align with everything that helps Putin and Orban are just too convenient.