Taking a Deeper Look at Donald Trump’s New Vice Presidential Candidate, J.D. Vance

This news came as a surprise to many Americans, Democrats and Republicans alike, because general speculation was suggesting that Trump would be most likely to select his running mate from his former opposition in the Republican Party, either Tim Scott or Vivek Ramaswamy. 

 

James David Vance was born in Middletown, Ohio on August 2, 1984. After graduating high school, Vance served as a combat correspondent in the US Marine Forces. Vance served in the military for four years, where he later attended Ohio State University, followed by his Masters at the Yale School of Law. 

 

Following his graduation, Vance published his New York Times bestselling memoir Hillbilly Elegy, which describes his upbringing in the Rust Belt District of Ohio, which was plagued with poverty and drugs. Trump lauded the rhetoric used in Hillbilly Elegy and he claimed that Vance’s work will do well to appeal to the working-class Midwesterners in the upcoming election. 

 

Vance was not always a fan of Donald Trump, in fact, he has criticized Trump’s presidency in the past. In previous interviews, Vance said he is “definitely not going to vote for Trump.” But, Vance’s opinions on Trump quickly changed when he earned the former president’s endorsement in the 2022 Ohio Republican Senate elections. 

 

While some believe that Vance’s nomination as Trump’s vice presidential candidate in the upcoming election may be uncalled for, it is certainly a strategic move by the Trump administration to increase their support from underserved and overworked communities in the Midwest.