FILE - Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, right, points toward Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally, March 16, 2024, in Vandalia, Ohio. Vance is a top contender to be selected as Trump's running mate. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean, File)
- The former President announced the first term Ohio Senator as his running mate via TruthSocial Monday afternoon.
Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump has announced his pick for a running mate – Ohio U.S. Senator J.D. Vance.
The news came on the opening day of the Republican National Convention where Trump and now Vance will be officially nominated by the party for the 2024 presidential ticket later this week.
“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 wrote on TruthSocial Monday afternoon.
Trump went on to say that Vance honorably served the country in the Marine Corps, graduated from Ohio State University Summa Cum Laude, and is a Yale Law School Graduate, where he was Editor of The Yale Law Journal and President of the Yale Law Veterans Association.
“J.D.’s book, ‘Hillbilly Elegy,’ became a Major Best Seller and Movie, as it championed the hardworking men and women of our Country,” Trump continued. “J.D. has had a very successful business career in Technology and Finance, and now, during the Campaign, will be strongly focused on the people he fought so brilliantly for, the American Workers and Farmers in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Minnesota, and far beyond.”
Trump’s choice of Vance is an important selection, as the former President is term limited and cannot seek re-election should he win in November. Vance will be the favored standard-bearer for the Republican Party come 2028.
Vance was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2022, defeating former Congressman Tim Ryan for the open seat. His wife, Usha, is an attorney and works for a law firm based in San Francisco and Washington, D.C. The two have been married since 2014 and have three children.
The Ohio Senator has not always been in lockstep with Trump, but he was endorsed by the former President in the 2022 election and has since been one of his most loyal backers.
Vance was among a laundry list of potential running mate choices Trump was said to be considering. Other names tossed about were Florida U.S. Senator Marco Rubio, North Carolina Governor Doug Burgum, South Carolina U.S. Senator Tim Scott, former Secretary Ben Carson, businessman Vivek Ramaswamy and more.
