Dem
47
GOP
53
Vice president? That comes later, on Jan. 20. Besides, it isn't a job, it's a spare part. No, Donald Trump has assigned Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) actual work: He is a lobbyist. His job is to cajole recalcitrant senators into voting to confirm nominees who are totally unqualified for the positions to which they have been nominated and who, in some cases, are expected (and determined) to destroy the agencies they would lead if confirmed. It's not an easy sell. If cajoling doesn't work, Vance can switch modes and start threatening them. That might do it.
Nominees aside, Vance has been in the Senate, a body that reveres seniority, for fewer than 2 years. In addition, he is very Trumpy (which is not appreciated by all the senators), populist, anti-Ukraine, and somewhat arrogant and abrasive. Some of his views, including those on childless women, do not sit well with most other senators.
Nevertheless, his assignment is to get his Senate colleagues to vote for Matt Gaetz, Pete Hegseth, Robert Kennedy Jr., Tulsi Gabbard, and a bunch of other people completely unprepared for the jobs they have been given. Gaetz, in particular, will be an especially tough sell for Sens.-elect Tim Sheehy (R-MT) and John Curtis (R-UT) because Gaetz actively campaigned against them in the Republican primaries. Politicians tend not to forget that. So far, only one senator has listened to Vance and then come out in favor of Gaetz: Sen.-elect Bernie Moreno (R-OH). In a complete coincidence, Vance backed Moreno in the primary. Some of the others have questioned Gaetz' suitability for AG while others have remained silent. Vance has his work cut out for him. If he fails and some of Trump's nominees are either rejected or forced to withdraw before a vote, Vance is going to get the blame. That may not work out well for him. He's lucky Trump can't fire the VP. Also, Vance probably knows how to fight back. He could tell Trump: "My favorite Amendment is the Second Amendment, but the Twenty-Fifth Amendment is the runner-up." (V)