JD Vance, Once A Donald Trump Critic, Now His Vice President Pick: 5 Facts

Former US President Donald Trump on Monday announced US Senator JD Vance of Ohio as his running mate for the November Presidential polls. The announcement came ahead of the former president's surprise appearance at the Republican National Convention, just two days after he survived an attempt on his life at a Pennsylvania rally.

Vance, a Republican senator from Ohio, will join Trump on the ticket to challenge President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris in the upcoming election.

Who is JD Vance?

1. JD Vance was born James David Bowman in Middletown, Ohio, to a mother struggling with addiction. His father left the family when Vance was a toddler. He grew up with his grandparents; his grandmother “Mamaw” was a “blue dog” Democrat and a devout Christian who owned 19 handguns.

2. Vance served in the US Marine Corps after high school, including a tour in the Iraq War. He then pursued higher education, graduating from The Ohio State University and Yale Law School. Until 2017, he worked at a venture capital firm.

3. Before entering politics, Vance gained national attention with his memoir Hillbilly Elegy, which was later adapted into a Netflix movie.

4. JD Vance is married to Indian-origin Usha Chilukuri Vance. They met at Yale Law School and got married in Kentucky in 2014. In addition to a traditional ceremony, they had a separate Hindu ceremony conducted by a Hindu priest. They have three children.

5. Vance was once a vocal critic of Donald Trump, calling him an “idiot” and “reprehensible” and comparing him to Hitler in earlier interviews in 2016. However, he has now transformed into one of Trump's steadfast allies, rarely missing an opportunity to defend him. Although his name was long mentioned as a potential political candidate, Vance seized the chance to run for Ohio's Senate seat in 2022 after Republican Senator Rob Portman decided not to seek re-election. His campaign struggled initially but gained momentum after receiving a $10 million donation from his former boss, Peter Thiel. Despite being in a predominantly Republican state, Vance's past criticism of Donald Trump posed a hurdle to his election. He managed to mend things with the former President for his previous remarks and secure Trump's endorsement.