Republican Senator J.D. Vance of Ohio has been selected by former President Trump as his running mate for the 2024 presidential election. The announcement was made at Truth Social during the opening of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
“After lengthy deliberation and consideration, and taking into account many other extraordinary talents, I have determined that the person best qualified to serve as Vice President of the United States is Senator J.D. Vance of Ohio,” Trump wrote on the social media platform.
“JD has had a very successful business career in technology and finance, and now during this campaign he will focus on the people he fought so well for – American workers and farmers in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Minnesota and beyond…” he continued.
The Ohio Republican has never held public office before but was elected to the Senate for the first time in 2022.
Vance first gained prominence in 2016 after writing “Hillbilly Elegy,” a memoir about growing up poor in Appalachia, which reflected the values of many Americans who support Trump's policies.
Before running for president, Vance worked as a venture capitalist for entrepreneur Peter Sayle's firm Mithril Capital and briefly at a corporate law firm, and also served in the U.S. Marine Corps, including a tour of duty in Iraq.
Vance won a tough Republican race for the Senate, then faced off against former presidential candidate and Democratic congressman Tim Ryan in the highly-anticipated general election that November.
