The reason J.D. Vance has a chance to become vice-president of the United States is that, unlike Mike Pence, Donald Trump’s running mate on his two previous campaigns, he’s willing to repeat Trump’s false claim to have won the 2020 election. His support for the Big Lie is the essential act that has thrust him into his upward trajectory.

The question has followed Vance in the final weeks of the election after he refused to answer it in the vice-presidential debate.