The small-town kid with the touching tale of hard work that captured middle America is poised to be the future Vice President.
Former President Donald Trump announced Monday on Truth Social that Senator JD Vance (R-OH) will be his VP nominee for the 2024 presidential election.
“After lengthy deliberation and thought, and considering the tremendous talents of many others, I have decided that the person best suited to assume the position of Vice President of the United States is Senator J.D. Vance of the Great State of Ohio,” Trump said in the post, adding that Vance “will continue to fight for our Constitution, stand with our Troops, and will do everything he can to help me MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN.”
Vance, 39, emerged as a national figure in 2016 with the release of his bestselling memoir “Hillbilly Elegy” where he wrote about growing up and surviving poverty.
Vance fought in the Iraq War as a USMC combat correspondent, and afterwards attended Ohio State University but dropped out after completing his B.A. to work for Republican Bob Schuler. He then went on to attend Yale Law School and secure his first political win in the 2022 Senate race defeating incumbent Tim Ryan in Ohio with 53% of the vote.
In response to the attempted Trump assassination on Saturday, Vance accused the Biden administration for inciting such violence.
“That rhetoric led directly to President Trump’s attempted assassination,” he added.
Vance has aligned himself with Trump’s agenda and was backed by the president’s son, Donald Trump Jr., who tweeted his support of Vance in the weeks before a Republican National Convention.
“America is not just an idea. America is a nation. America is a group of people with a common history and a common future,” Vance said.
Vance has long opposed illegal immigration, blasting President Joe Biden in May for offering benefits to them. In June, Vance also offered legislation to ban diversity, equity, and inclusion programs across the federal government.
Vance is scheduled to deliver the closing speech this Wednesday at the Republican National Convention.