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Grover Norquist thinks vaping will make the GOP cool

Could vaping regulations create a new bloc of young Republican voters?

Grover Norquist is president of the conservative group Americans for Tax Reform, an organization that pushes for smaller government and less taxes. He doesn’t vape, but he has a political theory that involves vapers: He thinks they can help make the Republican Party cool again.

His pitch is pretty simple: Vapers love to vape, and Democrats are on the side of stricter regulations on vaping and higher taxes on vaping products. By promising to make vaping easier to do and cheaper, Norquist figures, the Republicans can win over younger voters (er, vapers) who would normally vote Democrat.

“I have met with lifelong Democrats who said that until vaping is freed up from government threat I’m voting with Republicans because the D’s just don’t get it on this issue,” Norquist said.

VICE News took Norquist to a D.C. vape shop to test his theory.

This segment originally aired July 31, 2017, on VICE News Tonight on HBO.