Former President Donald Trump announced on Monday that he has chosen Senator JD Vance of Ohio as his running mate for the 2024 election. Vance, a former critic turned staunch ally, becomes the first millennial to join a major-party ticket, reflecting growing concerns over the advanced age of America’s political leaders.
“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 stated on his Truth Social network.
Vance, 39, gained national prominence with his 2016 memoir, “Hillbilly Elegy,” and was elected to the Senate in 2022. He has been a vigorous supporter of Trump’s “Make America Great Again” agenda, particularly on trade, foreign policy, and immigration.
However, Vance is relatively new to national politics and joins the Trump ticket during a tumultuous period. An attempted assassination of Trump at a rally on Saturday has heightened awareness of the volatile political climate and underscored the critical importance of the vice-presidential role.
Following the incident, Vance faced backlash for a post on X (formerly Twitter) suggesting that President Joe Biden’s rhetoric was to blame for the violence. “The central premise of the Biden campaign is that President Donald Trump is an authoritarian fascist who must be stopped at all costs,” Vance wrote. “That rhetoric led directly to President Trump’s attempted assassination.” Law enforcement has yet to determine the motive behind the shooting.
Despite the controversy, Vance’s selection is expected to energize Trump’s base. Vance is a regular on conservative media and often clashes with reporters, positioning him as a potential future leader of the movement. Nonetheless, this decision places two white men at the forefront of the Republican ticket, which may complicate Trump’s efforts to appeal to Black and Latino voters.
In his book “Hillbilly Elegy,” Vance explored life in Appalachian communities disillusioned with the Democratic Party. While the memoir was a bestseller, it faced criticism for oversimplifying rural life and overlooking the impact of racism in politics. Vance’s rise in politics paralleled Trump’s, though he initially criticized Trump as “a total fraud” and “America’s Hitler.” Over time, Vance shifted his stance, acknowledging Trump’s effectiveness as president.
“I didn’t think he was going to be a good president,” Vance recently told Fox News. “He was a great president. And it’s one of the reasons why I’m working so hard to make sure he gets a second term.”
Trump endorsed Vance during his 2022 Senate campaign, which proved pivotal in Vance’s primary and general election victories. Close to Trump’s son Donald Jr., Vance now vigorously defends Trump, challenging the legitimacy of legal actions against him and questioning the 2020 election results.
Vance has stated that if he had been vice president on January 6, 2021, he would have supported alternative slates of electors in contested states, advocating for congressional debate over the election results.
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