Republicans haven't left a debate this happy since the second Reagan Mondale face off in 1984. 

Despite facing three opponents, Tim Walz plus two hostile moderators, J.D. Vance acquitted himself flawlessly. 

Of course, the questions were seeded with gratuitous fact checks and frame from the left. They focused on beltway obsessions like climate change in January 6th, ignoring topics like China, Ukraine, and the flood devastating the southeast. Even so, Walz was overmatched. He looked by turns, confused, afraid, and sad. If his mission was to win over men, he completely failed. He didn't look like a guy you'd want anywhere near the situation room at a moment of crisis. 

By contrast, Vance demonstrated complete mastery of the facts while coming across as likable, relatable, and humane. And he offers a model for the Republican Party in the way he talked about abortion. 

A star was born.