The (would-be) Senators from Silicon Valley

On November 8, America could accomplish another political first: Electing two US senators from the idiosyncratic, increasingly ideological world of Silicon Valley venture capital. But neither one is from California. As a political force Silicon Valley is mostly known for its money, which it donates mainly to Democrats (although those donations have slightly shifted right in recent years). But as a source of political ideas, it’s something different, incubating a nationalist strain of conservatism better embodied by Blake Masters and J.D. Vance — positioned to potentially win Senate seats in Arizona and Ohio, respectively. In a sense, both candidates are testament to one person’s influence: Peter Thiel, the multi-billionaire tech investor who is a business and ideological mentor to both, and who funds their campaigns. But their politics aren’t identical to Thiel’s techno-libertarian views — they’re a new take on conservatism with strong roots in the tech circles from which they come, and decidedly different from your garden-variety Republican in the rest of the country.