"The rumors about J.D. Vance leaving his wife for Erika Kirk, which have persisted since the two shared a much-discussed hug in October, were always more darkly entertaining than plausible. But observers have surmised that they took off because they reflected a certain air of uneasiness that has surrounded Vance's marriage for the whole time it's been on the national stage. As the highly educated daughter of Indian immigrants, Usha Vance not only doesn't burnish Vance's MAGA credentials; she undermines them."
"In lieu of trading in his wife for a paler model, Vance has found another way to prove himself a good shepherd of the MAGA faithful: He and Usha are expecting a fourth child in July, they announced this week. (Their other children, two sons and a daughter, range in ages from 4 to 8. He is 41, and she is 40.)"
"If you're wondering what's so MAGA about having a kid, it's not just that they're having a kid, but that they're having a fourth kid. The average number of children per American household has been declining for decades, so having four kids in the year 2026 is a bit of a statement. While it doesn't have to be conservative-coded, it tends to skew that way."
Rumors of J.D. Vance leaving his wife for Erika Kirk circulated after a widely noticed October hug, but they were implausible though entertaining. Observers interpreted the rumors as symptoms of unease about Vance's marriage because Usha Vance, a highly educated daughter of Indian immigrants, does not align with MAGA image. Reports of a possible divorce surfaced in November, but no split has occurred. Instead, J.D. and Usha announced they are expecting a fourth child in July. Having four children in 2026 sends a pro-natal, politically coded signal aligned with Vance's public stances encouraging higher birth rates.
Read at Slate Magazine
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