Former US President
Donald Trump
on Monday announced his selection of
JD Vance
, a Republican US senator from Ohio, as his running mate for the upcoming presidential election. The announcement was made on Trump's Truth Social media platform at the beginning of the four-day Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, where the party's presidential ticket will be nominated.
In his statement on Truth Social, Trump said, "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 JD Vance of the Great State of Ohio."
James David Vance, the author of the bestselling memoir "Hillbilly Elegy," is deeply popular among Trump's base, and his selection could increase the likelihood of Trump supporters turning out to vote on November 5.
However, as a staunch conservative from a Republican state, Vance may not attract many new voters to Trump's camp and could even alienate some moderates. Some Trump supporters had advocated for the selection of a woman or person of colour as his running mate to expand a coalition that is predominantly composed of white men, according to a report from Reuters.
Vance, 39, will bring a younger perspective to the election, which features Trump, 78, and President Joe Biden, 81. This choice provides a counterbalance to the Democratic ticket, which includes Vice President Kamala Harris, 59. In choosing Vance, Trump passed over other potential candidates, such as US Senators Marco Rubio and Tim Scott, as well as North Dakota governor Doug Burgum.
Vance's rise to prominence has been unconventional in American politics. Following a difficult and impoverished upbringing in southern Ohio, he served in the Marine Corps, earned a scholarship to Yale Law School, and later worked as a venture capitalist in San Francisco.
His book "Hillbilly Elegy," published in 2016, explored the socioeconomic challenges faced by his hometown and the cycle of poverty that had trapped Americans in the Appalachian Mountains, where his mother and her family originated. The book criticised what Vance perceived as a self-destructive culture in rural America and aimed to explain Trump's popularity among impoverished white Americans, according to a report from Reuters.
Despite his initial harsh criticism of Trump before and after the 2016 election, Vance transformed into one of the former president's most consistent defenders as he prepared to run for the US Senate in Ohio in 2022. He has downplayed the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol and echoed Trump's criticisms of the Justice Department's prosecution of January 6 rioters.
Vance has also been a vocal opponent of continued aid to Ukraine in the Senate, a position that differs from many Republican legislative leaders.
As a former venture capitalist, Vance has served as a link between Trump associates and wealthy Silicon Valley donors, many of whom have contributed to Trump's campaign this election. However, some Trump associates have privately questioned the wisdom of removing Vance from the Senate, given the close contest between Democrats and Republicans for control of the upper chamber.
English (US) ·