JD Vance#Awards and decorations
{{Short description|Vice President of the United States since 2025}}
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{{Use American English|date=July 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = JD Vance
| image = VancePortrait.jpg
| alt = Official portrait of JD Vance, a middle-aged white man with dark hair and beard and light eyes, wearing a suit and tie, crossing his arms while standing in front of an American flag.
| caption = Official portrait, 2025
| order1 = 50th
| office1 = Vice President of the United States
| president1 = Donald Trump
| term_start1 = January 20, 2025
| predecessor1 = Kamala Harris
| office2 = Finance Chair of the Republican National Committee
| term_start2 = March 18, 2025
| predecessor2 = Duke Buchan
| jr/sr3 = United States Senator
| state3 = Ohio
| term_start3 = January 3, 2023
| term_end3 = January 10, 2025
| predecessor3 = Rob Portman
| successor3 = Jon Husted
| birth_name = James Donald Bowman
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1984|8|2}}
| birth_place = Middletown, Ohio, U.S.
| party = Republican
| spouse = {{marriage|Usha Chilukuri|2014}}
| children = 3
| relatives = Nate Vance (cousin)
| residence = Number One Observatory Circle
| education = {{ubl
| Yale University (JD)
}}
| signature = JD Vance Signature-01.svg
| branch = United States Marine Corps
| serviceyears = 2003–2007
| rank = Corporal
| unit = 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing
| battles = Iraq War
| mawards = {{ubl
| Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal
| Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal
}}
| module = {{Infobox writer
| embed = yes
| genre = Memoir
| notable_works = Hillbilly Elegy
}}
| module2 = {{Listen voice
| filename = JD Vance on the United States Foreign Policy.ogg
| name = Vance
| description = Vance discusses United States foreign policy.
| recorded = April 23, 2024
}}
}}
{{JD Vance series}}
James David Vance (born James Donald Bowman;{{Efn|name=name change|Vance was named James Donald Bowman at birth. Afterward, he was adopted by his mother's third husband and had his name changed to James David Hamel. In April 2013, he adopted his maternal grandparents' surname of Vance.}} August{{nbsp}}2, 1984) is an American politician, author, attorney, and Marine Corps veteran who is the 50th vice president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party, he represented Ohio in the U.S. Senate from 2023 to 2025. During his tenure as vice president, Vance has also served as the finance chair of the Republican National Committee.
Born and raised in Middletown, Ohio, Vance served in the U.S. Marine Corps and deployed to the Iraq War as a military journalist. He earned a bachelor's degree from Ohio State University and a law degree from Yale Law School. After briefly working as a corporate lawyer and Senate aide, Vance became a venture capitalist at Peter Thiel's Mithril Capital. In 2016, he published Hillbilly Elegy, a bestselling memoir that brought him national attention.
After initially opposing Donald Trump's candidacy in the 2016 election, Vance became a strong Trump supporter during Trump's first presidency. He won the 2022 United States Senate election in Ohio, beating Democratic nominee Tim Ryan. Vance served as Ohio's senator from January 2023 to January 2025. In July 2024, Trump selected Vance as his running mate before the Republican National Convention. Trump and Vance won the 2024 United States presidential election, defeating Kamala Harris and Tim Walz.
Vance is the first millennial and the third-youngest vice president in U.S. history. He has been characterized as a national conservative and right-wing populist, and describes himself as a member of the postliberal right. His political positions include opposition to abortion, same-sex marriage and gun control. Vance is an outspoken critic of childlessness and has acknowledged the influence of Catholic theology on his sociopolitical positions.
Early life, military service, and education
Vance was born James Donald Bowman on August 2, 1984, in Middletown, Ohio,{{cite news |last1=O'Brien |first1=Rebecca Davis |date=July 15, 2024 |title=J.D. Vance Was Not Always His Name. But It's the One That Felt Closest to Home. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/15/us/politics/jd-vance-name.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240719203813/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/15/us/politics/jd-vance-name.html |archive-date=July 19, 2024 |access-date=July 25, 2024 |newspaper=The New York Times}}{{Cite news |last=Ward |first=Ian |date=July 15, 2024 |title=55 Things to Know About JD Vance, Trump's VP Pick |newspaper=Politico |url=https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/07/15/jd-vance-55-things-trump-vp-00167882 |access-date=July 16, 2024 |archive-date=July 15, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240715205227/https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/07/15/jd-vance-55-things-trump-vp-00167882 |url-status=live}} where he was also raised.{{cite web | title=Vice President JD Vance | website=The White House | date=April 7, 2025 | url=https://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/jd-vance/ | access-date=April 25, 2025}} He is of Scots-Irish descent and grew up in an Appalachian American culture, spending summers with relatives in Jackson, Kentucky.{{cite web |last1=Schick |first1=Austin |title=Breathitt County residents discuss Vance's Kentucky ties, say they're hopeful for change |url=https://spectrumnews1.com/ky/louisville/news/2024/11/06/breathitt-county-reacts-to-vance |publisher=Spectrum News 1 |access-date=April 18, 2025 |date=November 6, 2024}}{{Cite magazine |last=Rothman |first=Joshua |date=September 12, 2016 |title=The Lives of Poor White People |url=http://www.newyorker.com/culture/cultural-comment/the-lives-of-poor-white-people |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210102073802/https://www.newyorker.com/culture/cultural-comment/the-lives-of-poor-white-people |archive-date=January 2, 2021 |access-date=March 6, 2017 |magazine=The New Yorker}}{{Cite news |last=Kroeger |first=Alix |date=April 18, 2021 |title=JD Vance: Trump whisperer turned Senate hopeful |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-56748047 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210512163133/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-56748047 |archive-date=May 12, 2021 |access-date=May 12, 2021 |work=BBC News}} His parents are Beverly Carol Aikins (née Vance) and Donald Ray Bowman; they divorced when he was a toddler.
After Bowman was adopted by his mother's third husband, Bob Hamel, his mother changed his name to James David Hamel to remove his father's first name and surname and to preserve an uncle's first name, David. Vance therefore kept his nickname, JD. His surname changed to hers after her parents became his caretakers.{{Cite magazine |title=All About J.D. Vance's Parents, Mom Beverly Vance and Dad Donald Bowman |url=https://people.com/all-about-jd-vance-parents-8678608 |date=July 16, 2024 |first=Rebecca |last=Aizin |access-date=July 17, 2024 |magazine=People |archive-date=July 18, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240718095445/https://people.com/all-about-jd-vance-parents-8678608 |url-status=live}}{{sfn|Vance|2016|p=94}}{{cite news |title=Why Has JD Vance Changed His Name So Many Times? Here's the Real Reason |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/us/why-has-jd-vance-changed-his-name-several-times-heres-the-real-reason/articleshow/113885336.cms |website=The Economic Times |date=October 2, 2024 |access-date=January 20, 2025}}
Vance has written that his childhood was marked by poverty and abuse, and that his mother struggled with drug addiction.{{Cite news |last=BeMiller |first=Haley |title=Who is JD Vance? What to know about Donald Trump's VP pick |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/07/15/jd-vance-finalist-trump-vice-running-mate-bio-details/74413134007/ |date=July 15, 2024 |access-date=July 15, 2024 |newspaper=USA Today |archive-date=July 15, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240715230822/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/07/15/jd-vance-finalist-trump-vice-running-mate-bio-details/74413134007/ |url-status=live}} He and his elder sister, Lindsey, were raised primarily by their maternal grandparents, James and Bonnie Vance (née Blanton), whom they called "Papaw" and "Mamaw".{{cite news |last1=Breslow |first1=Jason |title=Stories about J.D. Vance's grandmother stole the night at the RNC. Here's who she was |url=https://www.npr.org/2024/07/18/nx-s1-5044620/jd-vance-grandmother-mamaw-rnc |access-date=November 9, 2024 |publisher=NPR |date=July 18, 2024}}
After graduating from Middletown High School in 2003, Vance enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, serving as a military journalist with the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing.{{Cite web |last=White |first=Matt |date=July 15, 2024 |title=J.D. Vance is first veteran on Presidential ticket since John McCain |url=https://taskandpurpose.com/news/jd-vance-marine-veteran/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240716064741/https://taskandpurpose.com/news/jd-vance-marine-veteran/ |archive-date=July 16, 2024 |access-date=July 16, 2024 |website=Task & Purpose}} During his four years of service, he was deployed to the Iraq War in 2005 for six months in a non-combat role, writing articles and taking photographs.{{cite news |first1=Jeremy |last1=Herb |first2=Allison |last2=Gordon |first3=Haley |last3=Britzky |first4=Sara |last4=Murray |first5=Bob |last5=Ortega |first6=Mark |last6=Morales |date=August 17, 2024 |title=Inside the formative military service of Vance and Walz |url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/08/17/politics/inside-the-formative-military-service-of-vance-and-walz/index.html |access-date=August 18, 2024 |publisher=CNN |language=en}} He attained the rank of corporal, and his decorations included the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal.Citations for Military awards:
- {{cite news |date=August 12, 2024 |title=JD Vance Fast Facts |url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/19/politics/jd-vance-fast-facts/index.html |access-date=August 13, 2024 |publisher=CNN }}
- {{cite news |last1=Wang |first1=Amy B. |last2=Kornfield |first2=Meryl |date=July 16, 2024 |title=J.D. Vance's journey from a 'Never Trump' guy to Trump's VP pick |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/07/15/jd-vance-vp-pick-trump/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240811071936/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/07/15/jd-vance-vp-pick-trump/ |archive-date=August 11, 2024 |access-date=August 13, 2024 |newspaper=The Washington Post }}
- {{cite news |last=Hudnall |first=Hannah |date=August 16, 2024 |title=JD Vance's military achievements misrepresented in viral post |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2024/08/16/jd-vance-tim-walz-military-awards-fact-check/74827508007/ |access-date=December 9, 2024 |newspaper=USA Today |archive-date=December 10, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241210014537/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2024/08/16/jd-vance-tim-walz-military-awards-fact-check/74827508007/ |url-status=live }}
- {{cite news |last=Gleason |first=Sarah |date=October 1, 2024 |title=What is JD Vance's military record? Experience could be spotlight in VP debate |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/10/01/jd-vance-military-history-experience/75410341007/ |access-date=December 9, 2024 |newspaper=USA Today |archive-date=December 10, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241210014537/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/10/01/jd-vance-military-history-experience/75410341007/ |url-status=live }}
- {{cite news |url=https://www.military.com/daily-news/2024/07/16/jd-vances-marine-corps-service-would-set-him-apart-most-vice-presidents.html |title=JD Vance's Marine Corps Service Would Set Him Apart from Most Vice Presidents |last=Lawrence |first=Drew F. |date=July 16, 2024 |website=Military.com |access-date=August 11, 2024 |archive-date=July 17, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240717093101/https://www.military.com/daily-news/2024/07/16/jd-vances-marine-corps-service-would-set-him-apart-most-vice-presidents.html |url-status=live }}
In 2007, Vance left the military and used the G.I. Bill{{cite news |last1=Herb |first1=Jeremy |last2=Gordon |first2=Allison |last3=Britzky |first3=Haley |last4=Murray |first4=Sara |last5=Ortega |first5=Bob |last6=Morales |first6=Mark |title=CNN Politics |publisher=CNN |date=August 17, 2024 |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2024/08/17/politics/inside-the-formative-military-service-of-vance-and-walz/index.html |access-date=September 4, 2024 |archive-date=September 4, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240904071829/https://edition.cnn.com/2024/08/17/politics/inside-the-formative-military-service-of-vance-and-walz/index.html |url-status=live}}{{Cite web |title=JD Vance: Trump's anti-Iraq war, pro-Israel vice presidential running mate |url=https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/jd-vance-donald-trumps-anti-iraq-war-pro-israel-vice-president-pick |access-date=July 24, 2024 |website=Middle East Eye |language=en |date=July 15, 2024 |archive-date=July 25, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240725080952/https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/jd-vance-donald-trumps-anti-iraq-war-pro-israel-vice-president-pick |url-status=live}} to study political science and philosophy at Ohio State University.{{Cite web |title=Autumn Commencement 2009 |url=https://registrar.osu.edu/media/1832/su2009_commence.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240216144118/https://registrar.osu.edu/media/1832/su2009_commence.pdf |archive-date=February 16, 2024 |access-date=July 27, 2024 |publisher=Ohio State University |page=30}} He graduated in 2009 with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree summa cum laude in political science and philosophy.{{cite news |last=Gold |first=MIchael |date=July 15, 2024 |title=In Vance, Trump Picks an Ambitious Ideologue and First Millennial |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/15/us/politics/trump-vp-pick.html |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240715233832/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/15/us/politics/trump-vp-pick.html |archive-date=July 15, 2024 |access-date=July 15, 2024 |work=The New York Times}} In 2010, Vance entered Yale Law School,{{cite news |last=Velasco |first=Rin |title=J.D. Vance went to Yale Law School. Here's what to know about his time there. |url=https://www.norwichbulletin.com/story/news/politics/2024/07/15/jd-vance-yale-law-school-donald-trump/74415307007/ |access-date=August 11, 2024 |website=Norwich Bulletin |date=July 15, 2024 |language=en-US |archive-date=August 18, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240818192853/https://www.norwichbulletin.com/story/news/politics/2024/07/15/jd-vance-yale-law-school-donald-trump/74415307007/ |url-status=live}} where he won a prestigious position on The Yale Law Journal.{{Cite news |last=Saul |first=Stephanie |date=July 17, 2024 |title=How Yale Propelled J.D. Vance's Career |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/17/us/jd-vance-yale-law-school.html |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240717104304/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/17/us/jd-vance-yale-law-school.html |archive-date=July 17, 2024 |access-date=July 18, 2024 |work=The New York Times |issn=0362-4331}} During his first year, Professor Amy Chua persuaded Vance to begin writing his memoir, Hillbilly Elegy.{{cite book |last=Vance |first=J. D. |title=Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis |title-link=Hillbilly Elegy |date=2016 |publisher=Harper |isbn=978-0-06-230054-6 |location=New York City |lccn=2016304613 |oclc=952097610 |quote=}}{{Cite magazine |last=Kitchener |first=Caroline |date=June 7, 2016 |title=How the 'Tiger Mom' Convinced the Author of Hillbilly Elegy to Write His Story |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2017/06/hillbilly-elegy-mentor/529443/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210413175048/https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2017/06/hillbilly-elegy-mentor/529443/ |archive-date=April 13, 2021 |access-date=October 25, 2017 |magazine=The Atlantic}}
Vance also initiated a rapport with Peter Thiel after attending his 2011 talk at Yale. In 2010–2011, Vance wrote for David Frum's "FrumForum" website under the name J. D. Hamel.{{Cite web |title=J.D. Hamel |url=http://frumforum.com/author?oid=193 |access-date=July 25, 2024 |website= |archive-date=January 27, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230127211927/http://frumforum.com/author?oid=193 |url-status=live}}{{Cite AV media |first=Fareed |last=Zakaria |author-link=Fareed Zakaria |url=https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2024/07/21/gps-0721-the-evolution-of-jd-vance.cnn |title=On GPS: The evolution of JD Vance from Trump critic to loyalist |date=July 21, 2024 |language=en |access-date=July 25, 2024 |work=Fareed Zakaria GPS |publisher=CNN |archive-date=July 23, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240723174702/https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2024/07/21/gps-0721-the-evolution-of-jd-vance.cnn |url-status=live}} Although Hillbilly Elegy states that he adopted his grandparents' surname of Vance upon his marriage in 2014,{{sfn|Vance|2016|p=339}} the name change actually occurred in April 2013, as he was about to graduate from Yale.{{Cite news |last=Smyth |first=Julie Carr |date=July 26, 2024 |title=What's in a name? Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance has had many of them |url=https://apnews.com/article/election-2024-republicans-vice-president-vance-name-359c3d1361c94f5d2d1e9798b7854477 |access-date=July 27, 2024 |work=Associated Press |language=en |archive-date=July 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240727041018/https://apnews.com/article/election-2024-republicans-vice-president-vance-name-359c3d1361c94f5d2d1e9798b7854477 |url-status=live}} Vance obtained his Juris Doctor (JD) degree from Yale Law School in May 2013.{{Cite news |last=Haney |first=Stephanie |date=September 19, 2024 |title=VERIFY: Claims that Ohio US Sen. JD Vance didn't pass the bar exam are false |url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/verify-claims-that-ohio-us-sen-jd-vance-didn-t-pass-the-bar-exam-are-false/ar-AA1qRskq?apiversion=v2&noservercache=1&domshim=1&renderwebcomponents=1&wcseo=1&batchservertelemetry=1&noservertelemetry=1 |access-date=March 28, 2025 |work=MSN |language=en}}
Early career
File:J.D. Vance - U.S. Marine Corps Portrait.png, 2003]]After graduating from law school, Vance worked for Republican senator John Cornyn. He spent a year as a law clerk for Judge David Bunning of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky,{{Cite news |date=July 15, 2024 |title=JD Vance selected as Donald Trump's running mate; Trump officially nominated |url=https://www.wftv.com/news/trending/jd-vance-selected-donald-trumps-running-mate/MBMIZUPEJNDKLKZIJPVDF5CJXM/ |access-date=July 17, 2024 |publisher=WFTV |archive-date=July 17, 2024 |first=Natalie |last=Dreier |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240717001604/https://www.wftv.com/news/trending/jd-vance-selected-donald-trumps-running-mate/MBMIZUPEJNDKLKZIJPVDF5CJXM/ |url-status=live}} then worked at the law firm Sidley Austin,{{Cite magazine |last=Cortellessa |first=Eric |date=July 15, 2024 |title=Why Trump Chose J.D. Vance |url=https://time.com/6998873/why-trump-chose-j-d-vance-for-vice-president/ |access-date=July 17, 2024 |magazine=Time |archive-date=July 17, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240717045143/https://time.com/6998873/why-trump-chose-j-d-vance-for-vice-president/ |url-status=live}} beginning a brief career as a corporate lawyer.{{Cite news |last=Primack |first=Dan |date=July 16, 2024 |title=J.D. Vance's short career in venture capital |url=https://www.axios.com/2024/07/16/jd-vance-venture-capital-career |access-date=August 1, 2024 |work=Axios |archive-date=July 19, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240719023708/https://www.axios.com/2024/07/16/jd-vance-venture-capital-career |url-status=live}} Having practiced law for slightly under two years, Vance moved to San Francisco to work in the technology industry as a venture capitalist. Between 2016 and 2017, he served as a principal at Peter Thiel's firm, Mithril Capital.{{Cite news |last=McBride |first=Sarah |date=January 20, 2017 |title=Peter Thiel's Mithril Capital Raises $850 Million VC Fund |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-01-20/peter-thiel-s-mithril-capital-raises-850-million-vc-fund |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210506175430/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-01-20/peter-thiel-s-mithril-capital-raises-850-million-vc-fund |archive-date=May 6, 2021 |access-date=May 10, 2017 |work=Bloomberg Technology}}{{cite news |last1=Wren |first1=Adam |last2=Morris |first2=Meghan |date=August 29, 2021 |title='Hillbilly Elegy' author JD Vance is running for Senate as a savior of the Rust Belt. Insiders and experts say that reputation is unearned. |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/jd-vance-venture-capital-opioid-nonprofit-tech-record-ohio-senate-2021-8 |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240325024811/https://www.businessinsider.com/jd-vance-venture-capital-opioid-nonprofit-tech-record-ohio-senate-2021-8 |archive-date=March 25, 2024 |url-status=live |website=Business Insider |access-date=July 13, 2024}}
In June 2016, Harper published Vance's book, Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis. The memoir recounts the Appalachian culture and socioeconomic problems of Vance's small-town upbringing.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/11/books/review-in-hillbilly-elegy-a-compassionate-analysis-of-the-poor-who-love-trump.html |access-date=October 11, 2016 |title=Review: In 'Hillbilly Elegy,' a Tough Love Analysis of the Poor Who Back Trump |last1=Senior |first1=Jennifer |date=August 10, 2016 |newspaper=The New York Times |archive-date=October 11, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161011053806/http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/11/books/review-in-hillbilly-elegy-a-compassionate-analysis-of-the-poor-who-love-trump.html}} Hillbilly Elegy was on The New York Times Best Seller list in 2016 and 2017. The Times listed it among "6 Books to Help Understand Trump's Win",{{Cite news |date=November 9, 2016 |title=6 Books to Help Understand Trump's Win |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/10/books/6-books-to-help-understand-trumps-win.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210215222900/https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/10/books/6-books-to-help-understand-trumps-win.html |archive-date=February 15, 2021 |access-date=April 13, 2021 |work=The New York Times}} and Vance was profiled in The Washington Post, which called him "the voice of the Rust Belt".{{Cite news |last=Heller |first=Karen |date=February 6, 2017 |title='Hillbilly Elegy' made J.D. Vance the voice of the Rust Belt. But does he want that job? |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/hillbilly-elegy-made-jd-vance-the-voice-of-the-rust-belt-but-does-he-want-that-job/2017/02/06/fa6cd63c-e882-11e6-80c2-30e57e57e05d_story.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201125133721/https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/hillbilly-elegy-made-jd-vance-the-voice-of-the-rust-belt-but-does-he-want-that-job/2017/02/06/fa6cd63c-e882-11e6-80c2-30e57e57e05d_story.html |archive-date=November 25, 2020 |access-date=July 27, 2017 |newspaper=The Washington Post}} In The New Republic, Sarah Jones criticized Vance as "liberal media's favorite white trash–splainer" and a "false prophet of blue America", calling the book "little more than a list of myths about welfare queens".{{Cite magazine |last=Jones |first=Sarah |date=November 17, 2016 |title=J.D. Vance, the False Prophet of Blue America |url=https://newrepublic.com/article/138717/jd-vance-false-prophet-blue-america |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170317235304/https://newrepublic.com/article/138717/jd-vance-false-prophet-blue-america |archive-date=March 17, 2017 |access-date=April 13, 2021 |magazine=The New Republic}} Hillbilly Elegy
In 2017, Vance joined Revolution LLC, an investment firm founded by Steve Case. Vance was tasked with expanding the "Rise of the Rest" initiative, which focuses on growing investments in underserved regions outside Silicon Valley and New York City.{{Cite news |last=Heater |first=Brian |date=March 22, 2017 |title='Hillbilly Elegy' author J.D. Vance joins Revolution LLC to promote startups outside of Silicon Valley |url=https://techcrunch.com/2017/03/22/jd-vance-revolution-llc/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210413065211/https://techcrunch.com/2017/03/22/jd-vance-revolution-llc/ |archive-date=April 13, 2021 |access-date=April 13, 2021 |work=TechCrunch}}
Vance was a CNN contributor in 2017 and 2018.{{cite news |last=Forrest |first=Jack |date=July 15, 2024 |title=What to know about Sen. JD Vance, Trump's running mate |url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/15/politics/jd-vance-trump-vp-what-to-know/index.html |access-date=August 21, 2024 |publisher=CNN |language=en |archive-date=August 20, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240820174638/https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/15/politics/jd-vance-trump-vp-what-to-know/index.html |url-status=live}} In April 2017, Ron Howard signed on to direct the film version of Hillbilly Elegy, which was released in select theaters on November 11, 2020. It was released on Netflix for streaming.{{Cite web |date=October 14, 2020 |title=Amy Adams and Glenn Close Are Unrecognizable in Thrilling First Trailer for Netflix's Hillbilly Elegy |url=https://people.com/movies/amy-adams-glenn-close-netfli-hillbilly-elegy-trailer/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240716075709/https://people.com/movies/amy-adams-glenn-close-netfli-hillbilly-elegy-trailer/ |first=Eric |last=Todisco |archive-date=July 16, 2024 |access-date=July 16, 2024 |website=People}}
In 2019, Vance served on the board of advisors of the With Honor Fund, a Super PAC that helps veterans run for office.{{cite news |last=Goldsmith |first=Suzanne |date=February 1, 2019 |title=J.D. Vance Moves to Cincinnati |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2019/02/01/j-d-vance-moves-to/986777007/ |access-date=September 2, 2024 |website=USA Today |language=en-US |archive-date=September 1, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240901020925/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2019/02/01/j-d-vance-moves-to/986777007/ |url-status=live}} From 2020 to 2023, he served on the board of advisors of American Moment, a networking and training organization for young conservatives that is affiliated with Project 2025.{{cite news |last=Ward |first=Ian |date=November 3, 2023 |title=The Brash Group of Young Conservatives Getting Ready for the Next Trump Administration |url=https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2023/11/03/american-moment-conservative-00124178 |access-date=August 31, 2024 |website=Politico |archive-date=August 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240827100323/https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2023/11/03/american-moment-conservative-00124178 |url-status=live}}{{cite news |last=Doyle |first=Katherine |date=November 17, 2023 |title=Donations have surged to groups linked to conservative Project 2025 |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/donations-surged-groups-linked-conservative-project-2025-rcna125638 |access-date=August 31, 2024 |publisher=NBC News |language=en |archive-date=November 18, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231118071504/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/donations-surged-groups-linked-conservative-project-2025-rcna125638 |url-status=live}}
In 2019, Vance and Chris Buskirk co-founded the conservative political advocacy group Rockbridge Network.{{cite news |last1=Burns |first1=Dasha |title=Secretive conservative donor group meets to draw up 2024 plans — with a call-in from Trump |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/secretive-conservative-donor-group-meets-draw-2024-plans-call-trump-rcna148899 |date=April 24, 2024 |publisher=NBC News |access-date=August 22, 2024}} That year, he also co-founded venture capital firm Narya Capital in Cincinnati with financial backing from Thiel, Eric Schmidt, and Marc Andreessen.{{Cite news |last=Vermillion |first=Stephanie |date=February 16, 2020 |title=J.D. Vance's New Cincinnati-based VC Firm Excites Local Startup Leaders |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/inno/stories/inno-insights/2020/02/16/jd-vance-s-new-cincinnati-based-vc-firm-excites.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201213021024/https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/inno/stories/inno-insights/2020/02/16/jd-vance-s-new-cincinnati-based-vc-firm-excites.html |archive-date=December 13, 2020 |access-date=April 13, 2021 |work=Cincy Inno}} During 2020, he raised $93 million for the firm.{{Cite news |last=Loizos |first=Connie |date=January 9, 2019 |title='Hillbilly Elegy' author J.D. Vance has raised $93 million for his own Midwestern venture fund |url=https://techcrunch.com/2020/01/09/hillbilly-elegy-author-j-d-vance-has-raised-93-million-for-his-own-midwestern-venture-fund/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210416062035/https://techcrunch.com/2020/01/09/hillbilly-elegy-author-j-d-vance-has-raised-93-million-for-his-own-midwestern-venture-fund/ |archive-date=April 16, 2021 |access-date=January 15, 2020 |work=TechCrunch}} With Peter Thiel and former Trump adviser Darren Blanton, Vance invested in Rumble, a Canadian online video platform popular with the political right.{{Cite news |last=Hagey |first=Keach |date=May 19, 2021 |title=Peter Thiel, J.D. Vance Invest in Rumble Video Platform Popular on Political Right |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/peter-thiel-j-d-vance-invest-in-rumble-video-platform-popular-on-political-right-11621447661 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220207182452/https://www.wsj.com/articles/peter-thiel-j-d-vance-invest-in-rumble-video-platform-popular-on-political-right-11621447661 |archive-date=February 7, 2022 |access-date=May 21, 2021 |work=The Wall Street Journal |issn=0099-9660}}{{Cite news |last=Lutz |first=Eric |date=May 20, 2021 |title=Peter Thiel and J.D. Vance Are Propping Up a Right-Wing YouTube Alternative |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2021/05/peter-thiel-jd-vance-are-propping-up-right-wing-youtube-alternative-rumble-donation |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220815012937/https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2021/05/peter-thiel-jd-vance-are-propping-up-right-wing-youtube-alternative-rumble-donation |archive-date=August 15, 2022 |access-date=August 13, 2022 |work=Vanity Fair}}
= Our Ohio Renewal =
In December 2016, Vance said he planned to move to Ohio and would consider starting a nonprofit or running for office.{{Cite news |last=Hohmann |first=James |date=December 21, 2016 |title=The Daily 202: Why the author of 'Hillbilly Elegy' is moving home to Ohio |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/paloma/daily-202/2016/12/21/daily-202-why-the-author-of-hillbilly-elegy-is-moving-home-to-ohio/5859da6ee9b69b36fcfeaf48/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210227164241/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/paloma/daily-202/2016/12/21/daily-202-why-the-author-of-hillbilly-elegy-is-moving-home-to-ohio/5859da6ee9b69b36fcfeaf48/ |archive-date=February 27, 2021 |access-date=March 6, 2017 |newspaper=The Washington Post}} In Ohio, he started Our Ohio Renewal, a 501(c)(4) advocacy organization focused on education, addiction, and other "social ills" he had mentioned in his memoir. According to a 2017 archived capture of the nonprofit's website, the advisory board members were Keith Humphreys, Jamil Jivani, Yuval Levin, and Sally Satel.{{cite web |url=http://ourohiorenewal.com/ |title=About Our Ohio Renewal |year=2017 |publisher=Our Ohio Renewal |access-date=July 27, 2024 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170726085236/http://ourohiorenewal.com/ |archive-date=July 26, 2017}}{{cite news |author1=Haley BeMiller |author2=Victoria Moorwood |title=JD Vance turned to the border after his addiction nonprofit fizzled out. Will it work? |work=The Cincinnati Enquirer |date=August 27, 2024 |url=https://cincinnati.com/story/news/politics/2024/08/27/jd-vance-addiction-recovery-border-control/74635289007/ |url-access=subscription |access-date=September 5, 2024}} According to a 2020 capture of the website, those four remained in those positions throughout the organization's existence.{{cite web |url=http://ourohiorenewal.com/ |title=About Our Ohio Renewal |year=2017 |publisher=Our Ohio Renewal |access-date=July 27, 2024 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201129065421/https://ourohiorenewal.com/ |archive-date=November 29, 2020}} Our Ohio Renewal closed by 2021 with sparse achievements.{{cite news |url=https://www.npr.org/2024/07/15/nx-s1-5040236/jd-vance-vice-president-trump-rnc |title=Trump names Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance as vice presidential running mate |first=Stephen |last=Fowler |date=July 15, 2024 |publisher=NPR |access-date=July 15, 2024 |archive-date=July 15, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240715193601/https://www.npr.org/2024/07/15/nx-s1-5040236/jd-vance-vice-president-trump-rnc |url-status=live}}{{Cite web |last=Matthiessen |first=Connie |date=July 18, 2024 |title=J.D. Vance Has Set His Sights on Philanthropy Before. What Should the Sector Expect? |url=https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/2024-7-18-what-should-philanthropy-expect-from-jd-vance |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240718201457/https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/2024/7/18/what-should-philanthropy-expect-from-jd-vance |archive-date=July 18, 2024 |access-date=August 17, 2024 |website=Inside Philanthropy}} According to Jivani, the organization's director of law and policy, its work was derailed by Jivani's cancer diagnosis.{{cite news |last1=Tasker |first1=John Paul |title=This Conservative MP is 'best friends' with Trump running mate J.D. Vance |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/jd-vance-jamil-jivani-best-friends-trump-vp-1.7265268 |publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation |date=July 17, 2024 |access-date=July 18, 2024 |archive-date=July 17, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240717082044/https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/jd-vance-jamil-jivani-best-friends-trump-vp-1.7265268 |url-status=live}}{{cite news |title=J.D. Vance's First Attempt to Renew Ohio Crumbled Quickly |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/08/us/politics/jd-vance-ohio-senate-nonprofit.html |work=The New York Times |date=October 8, 2022 |access-date=July 18, 2024 |archive-date=July 16, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240716051708/https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/08/us/politics/jd-vance-ohio-senate-nonprofit.html |url-status=live |last1=Fahrenthold |first1=David A.}} It raised around $221,000 in 2017 (including $80,000 from Vance himself) and spent most of its revenue on overhead costs and travel. In subsequent years, it raised less than $50,000.{{cite news |title=Vance to dissolve last vestige of mothballed charity, Our Ohio Renewal sent doctor to study drug problem in Ironton |website=The Tribune |date=August 18, 2024 |url=https://www.irontontribune.com/2024/08/18/vance-to-dissolve-last-vestige-of-mothballed-charity-our-ohio-renewal-sent-doctor-to-study-drug-problem-in-ironton/ |access-date=September 9, 2024 |archive-date=September 9, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240909115338/https://www.irontontribune.com/2024/08/18/vance-to-dissolve-last-vestige-of-mothballed-charity-our-ohio-renewal-sent-doctor-to-study-drug-problem-in-ironton/ |url-status=live}}File:Small Talks DC- Securing the American Dream for Young Children (37629711710) (a).jpg at New America's Securing the American Dream for Young Children event, 2017.]]During Vance's 2022 U.S. Senate campaign, Tim Ryan, the Democratic nominee, said the charity was a front for Vance's political ambitions. Ryan pointed to reports that the organization paid a Vance political adviser and conducted public opinion polling, while its efforts to address addiction failed. Vance denied the characterization.{{Cite news |last1=Colvin |first1=Jill |last2=Peoples |first2=Steve |last3=Smyth |first3=Julie Carr |first4=Zeke |last4=Miller |date=July 15, 2024 |title=Trump picks Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, a once-fierce critic turned loyal ally, as his GOP running mate |url=https://apnews.com/article/trump-vice-president-vance-rubio-burgum-rnc-6cc438a8370a21b2631f5a53b06b71d0 |work=Associated Press |access-date=July 15, 2024 |archive-date=July 16, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240716082417/https://apnews.com/article/trump-vice-president-vance-rubio-burgum-rnc-6cc438a8370a21b2631f5a53b06b71d0 |url-status=live}}{{cite AV media |people=Tim Ryan; J.D. Vance |date=October 17, 2022 |title=Campaign 2022 Ohio U.S. Senate Debate |medium=Cable TV |url=https://www.c-span.org/video/?523437-1/ohio-us-senate-debate |access-date=July 5, 2024 |time=21:40 |publisher=C-SPAN |archive-date=July 18, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240718063007/https://www.c-span.org/video/?523437-1/ohio-us-senate-debate |url-status=live}}{{Efn|name=OurWebsiteArchive|According to archived captures of the websites, by April 28, 2021, the domain ourohiorenewal.com was put on sale by hugedomains.com.
In August 2022 the Ohio Democratic Party set up a website called Our Ohio Ripoff,{{cite web |url=https://www.ourohioripoff.com/ |title=Our Ohio Renewal/Ripoff |year=2022 |publisher=Ohio Democratic Party |access-date=July 27, 2024 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220830024531/https://www.ourohioripoff.com/ |archive-date=August 30, 2022 |quote=Paid For By The Ohio Democratic Party}} and from late August{{cite web |url=http://ourohiorenewal.com/ |title=Oops! This site no longer exists because J.D. Vance is a fraud. You will be redirected in 5 seconds... |year=2022 |publisher=Ohio Democratic Party |access-date=July 27, 2024 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220824144624/https://www.ourohiorenewal.com/ |archive-date=August 24, 2022}} to early November 2022, the domain Renewal redirected the user to the domain Ripoff.{{cite web |url=http://ourohiorenewal.com/ |title=Oops! This site no longer exists because J.D. Vance is a fraud. You will be redirected in 5 seconds... |year=2022 |publisher=Ohio Democratic Party |access-date=July 27, 2024 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221110024416/https://ourohiorenewal.com/ |archive-date=November 10, 2022}}
In July 2024, the domain ourohiorenewal.com remains for sale, and the website ourohioripoff.com remains online. }} Our Ohio Renewal's tax filings showed that in its first year, it spent more (over $63,000) on "management services" provided by its executive director Jai Chabria, who also served as Vance's top political adviser, than it did on programs to fight opioid abuse.{{cite news |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/jd-vance-anti-opioid-nonprofit-our-ohio-renewal-senate-campaign-2021-8 |title=We found tax records showing 'Hillbilly Elegy' author JD Vance's anti-opioid nonprofit faltered |author=Adam Wren, Meghan Morris |date=August 31, 2021 |work=Business Insider |access-date=July 16, 2024 |archive-date=July 17, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240717012939/https://www.businessinsider.com/jd-vance-anti-opioid-nonprofit-our-ohio-renewal-senate-campaign-2021-8 |url-status=live}} In 2017, Vance formed a similarly named 501(c)(3) organization, Our Ohio Renewal Foundation, which raised around $69,000 from 2017 to 2023. As of September 2024, the foundation had not spent any funds since 2019.{{cite news |last=Fahrenthold |first=David A. |date=September 6, 2024 |title=The Future of JD Vance's Charity in Ohio Is Unclear |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/06/us/politics/jd-vance-charity-ohio.html/ |access-date=September 9, 2024 |website=The New York Times |archive-date=September 9, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240909205932/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/06/us/politics/jd-vance-charity-ohio.html/ |url-status=live}}
According to the Associated Press (AP) and a 2019 ProPublica investigation, the charity's biggest accomplishment, sending psychiatrist Sally Satel to Ohio's Appalachian region for a yearlong residency in 2018, was "tainted" by the ties among Satel, her employer, American Enterprise Institute (AEI), and Purdue Pharma, in the form of knowledge exchange between Satel and Purdue and financial support from Purdue to AEI. Satel denied having any relationship with Purdue or any knowledge of its donations to AEI.{{cite news |url=https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-entertainment-health-175153d8a80d93b2c9c6654a6a730de9 |title=Vance's anti-drug charity enlisted doctor echoing Big Pharma |last=Smyth |first=Julie Carr |date=August 18, 2022 |work=Associated Press |access-date=July 5, 2024 |archive-date=July 4, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240704100835/https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-entertainment-health-175153d8a80d93b2c9c6654a6a730de9 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |url=https://www.propublica.org/article/inside-purdue-pharma-media-playbook-how-it-planted-the-opioid-anti-story |title=Inside Purdue Pharma's Media Playbook: How It Planted the Opioid 'Anti-Story' |first=David |last=Armstrong |date=November 19, 2019 |work=ProPublica |access-date=July 16, 2024 |quote=Purdue's hidden relationships with Satel and AEI illustrate how the company and its public relations consultants aggressively countered criticism that its prized painkiller helped cause the opioid epidemic. |archive-date=July 16, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240716150849/https://www.propublica.org/article/inside-purdue-pharma-media-playbook-how-it-planted-the-opioid-anti-story |url-status=live}}
= AppHarvest =
From March 2017 to April 2021, Vance served on the board of directors of the startup AppHarvest, which carried out indoor vertical farming in Kentucky. AppHarvest was also one of Narya Capital's first publicly announced investments; Vance publicly advocated for AppHarvest, touting the company's commitment to bring good jobs with health care benefits to an economically depressed area of Appalachia. AppHarvest went bankrupt in 2023 while owing over $340 million.{{cite news |last1=Gordon |first1=Allison |last2=Medina |first2=Daniel |last3=Devine |first3=Curt |last4=Lah |first4=Kyung |title=Workers allege 'nightmare' conditions at Kentucky startup JD Vance helped fund |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2024/08/13/politics/kentucky-startup-appharvest-jd-vance/index.html |access-date=August 14, 2024 |publisher=CNN |date=August 13, 2024}} Company founder Jonathan Webb and top executives collectively had little experience with horticulture and indoor agriculture, and the company struggled to meet its produce buyers' standards.{{cite news |last1=Hakim |first1=Danny |last2=Gaffney |first2=Austin |date=October 22, 2024 |title=For Vance, an Idyllic Appalachian Startup Became a Hard Lesson |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241022110416/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/22/us/politics/jd-vance-appalachia-startup.html |archive-date=October 22, 2024 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/22/us/politics/jd-vance-appalachia-startup.html |url-status=live |url-access=limited |access-date=October 23, 2024 |work=The New York Times |location=New York City}} Workers complained to authorities about "brutal" working conditions in company greenhouses; after many local workers quit, they were replaced by migrant contract workers, who eventually constituted over half the company's labor force. Vance never held an operational role at the company, and his vice-presidential campaign said he had been unaware of the complaints about working conditions and that the decision to hire migrants was made after he resigned from the board.
U.S. Senate (2023–2025)
{{Main|US Senate career of JD Vance}}
= 2022 campaign =
{{Main|2022 United States Senate election in Ohio}}
[[File:2022 United States Senate election in Ohio results map by county.svg|thumb|210px|alt=Final results by county| Final results by Ohio county in 2022:{{collapsible list
| title = {{legend|#E27F7F|JD Vance}}|{{legend|#C21B18|80–90%}}|{{legend|#D72F30|70–80%}}|{{legend|#D75D5D|60–70%}}|{{legend|#E27F7F|50–60%}}
}}
{{collapsible list
| title = {{legend|#7996e2|Tim Ryan}}|||{{legend|#6674de|60–70%}}|{{legend|#7996e2|50–60%}}
}}]]
In early 2018, Vance considered running for the U.S. Senate against Sherrod Brown,{{Cite news |last=Gomez |first=Henry |date=January 10, 2018 |title=J.D. Vance Is Now Seriously Considering Running For Senate In Ohio |url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/henrygomez/jd-vance-is-now-seriously-considering-running-for-senate-in |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180713190103/https://www.buzzfeed.com/henrygomez/jd-vance-is-now-seriously-considering-running-for-senate-in |archive-date=July 13, 2018 |access-date=January 11, 2018 |work=BuzzFeed}} but did not.{{Cite news |last=Carozza |first=Vinny |date=January 19, 2018 |title=Middletown native and Ohio State grad decides against Senate run |url=https://www.daytondailynews.com/news/local/middletown-native-and-ohio-state-grad-decides-against-senate-run/hqT6uM1G7soK9mKu3pXDAN/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709191423/https://www.daytondailynews.com/news/local/middletown-native-and-ohio-state-grad-decides-against-senate-run/hqT6uM1G7soK9mKu3pXDAN/ |archive-date=July 9, 2021 |access-date=July 8, 2021 |work=Dayton Daily News}} In March 2021, Peter Thiel gave $10 million to Protect Ohio Values, a super PAC created in February to support a potential Vance candidacy.{{Cite news |last=Kinery |first=Emma |date=March 15, 2021 |title=Peter Thiel, Mercers Back a Potential J.D. Vance Senate Run |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-03-15/peter-thiel-mercer-family-back-potential-j-d-vance-senate-run |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210413065210/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-03-15/peter-thiel-mercer-family-back-potential-j-d-vance-senate-run |archive-date=April 13, 2021 |access-date=April 13, 2021 |work=Bloomberg Businessweek}}{{Cite news |last=Mathis-Lilley |first=Ben |date=March 18, 2021 |title=J.D. Vance's Potential Senate Campaign Is Shaping Up as a Vicious Assault on People Like J.D. Vance |url=https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2021/03/jd-vance-senate-campaign-sleazy-populism.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210413065210/https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2021/03/jd-vance-senate-campaign-sleazy-populism.html |archive-date=April 13, 2021 |access-date=April 13, 2021 |work=Slate}}{{Cite news |last=Balmert |first=Jessie |date=March 15, 2021 |title=Super PAC supporting potential Senate candidate J.D. Vance gets $10 million donation from PayPal cofounder |url=https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/politics/elections/2021/03/15/super-pac-supporting-possible-ohio-senate-candidate-j-d-vance-gets-10-m-donation-peter-thiel/4700540001/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210315200321/https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/politics/elections/2021/03/15/super-pac-supporting-possible-ohio-senate-candidate-j-d-vance-gets-10-m-donation-peter-thiel/4700540001/ |archive-date=March 15, 2021 |access-date=March 16, 2021 |work=The Cincinnati Enquirer}} Robert Mercer also gave an undisclosed amount. In April, Vance expressed interest in running for the Senate seat being vacated by Rob Portman.{{Cite news |last=Primack |first=Dan |date=April 15, 2021 |title=J.D. Vance tells associates he plans to run for Senate in Ohio |url=https://www.axios.com/jd-vance-ohio-senate-4f3455d1-20c0-428b-8569-a9d11306ba9f.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210418163541/https://www.axios.com/jd-vance-ohio-senate-4f3455d1-20c0-428b-8569-a9d11306ba9f.html |archive-date=April 18, 2021 |access-date=April 30, 2021 |work=Axios}} In May, he launched an exploratory committee.{{Cite news |last=De Lea |first=Brittany |date=May 12, 2021 |title='Hillbilly Elegy' author J.D. Vance forms exploratory committee to run for Senate seat in Ohio: report |url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/j-d-vance-exploratory-committee-ohio-senate-seat |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210512022228/https://www.foxnews.com/politics/j-d-vance-exploratory-committee-ohio-senate-seat |archive-date=May 12, 2021 |access-date=May 12, 2021 |publisher=Fox News}}
Vance announced his Senate campaign in Ohio on July 1, 2021. On May 3, 2022, he won the Republican primary with 32% of the vote,{{Cite news |last=Shivaram |first=Deepa |date=May 3, 2022 |title=After Trump's endorsement, J.D. Vance wins a crowded Ohio GOP Senate race, the AP says |url=https://www.npr.org/2022/05/03/1095662187/ohio-republican-senate-primary-results-vance-trump |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221114200312/https://www.npr.org/2022/05/03/1095662187/ohio-republican-senate-primary-results-vance-trump |archive-date=November 14, 2022 |access-date=November 14, 2022 |publisher=NPR}} defeating multiple candidates, including Josh Mandel (23%) and Matt Dolan (22%).{{Cite news |last1=Linton |first1=Caroline |last2=Brewster |first2=Adam |last3=Navarro |first3=Aaron |date=May 4, 2022 |title=Ohio primary results: Trump-backed J.D. Vance wins Republican Senate race |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/live-updates/ohio-primary-election-jd-vance-republican-senate-trump/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220504120842/https://www.cbsnews.com/live-updates/ohio-primary-election-jd-vance-republican-senate-trump/ |archive-date=May 4, 2022 |access-date=May 4, 2022 |publisher=CBS News}} On November 8, in the general election, Vance defeated Democratic nominee Tim Ryan with 53% of the vote to Ryan's 47%.{{Cite news |date=November 8, 2022 |title=Ohio U.S. Senate Election Results |url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/11/08/us/elections/results-ohio-us-senate.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230725152429/https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/11/08/us/elections/results-ohio-us-senate.html |archive-date=July 25, 2023 |access-date=June 7, 2023 |work=The New York Times |issn=0362-4331}} This vote share was considered a vast underperformance compared to other Ohio Republicans, especially in the coinciding gubernatorial election.{{cite news |last1=Tecotzky |first1=Alice |last2=Dorman |first2=John L. |date=July 24, 2024 |title=JD Vance breaks polling records in the worst way |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/jd-vance-lowest-vice-president-approval-rating-republican-convention-2024-7 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240725064044/https://www.businessinsider.com/jd-vance-lowest-vice-president-approval-rating-republican-convention-2024-7 |archive-date=July 25, 2024 |access-date=July 27, 2024 |website=Business Insider}} Vance had often previously spelled his name with periods after his initials ("J.D.")—including in the publication of Hillbilly Elegy—but after becoming a candidate for office, he removed the periods ("JD").
= Tenure =
File:Senator Vance official portrait. 118th Congress.jpg
On January 3, 2023, Vance was sworn into the Senate as a member of the 118th United States Congress. Vance served as Ohio's junior senator from January 3, 2023, to January 3, 2025. Data from mid-July 2024 showed that he had made 45 Senate speeches and sponsored 57 legislative bills, none of which had passed the Senate. Vance had also co-sponsored 288 bills, of which two passed both the Senate and the House but were vetoed by President Biden.{{cite news |last1=Leigh |first1=Harri |title=JD Vance's Senate record: No new laws, but a platform to spread ideas |url=https://spectrumnews1.com/oh/columbus/news/2024/07/19/jd-vance-senate-record |access-date=August 1, 2024 |work=Spectrum News |date=July 19, 2024 |archive-date=August 18, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240818192855/https://spectrumnews1.com/oh/columbus/news/2024/07/19/jd-vance-senate-record |url-status=live}}
On March 1, Vance and Senator Sherrod Brown cosponsored bipartisan legislation to prevent derailments like the one in East Palestine,{{cite news |last=Smyth |first=Julie Carr |date=March 2023 |title=Ohio Senators J.D. Vance, Sherrod brown co-sponsor rail safety bill after fiery derailment in East Palestine |url=https://www.wcpo.com/news/government/state-government/ohio-state-government-news/ohio-senators-j-d-vance-sherrod-brown-co-sponsor-rail-safety-bill-after-fiery-derailment-in-east-palestine |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230302222626/https://www.wcpo.com/news/government/state-government/ohio-state-government-news/ohio-senators-j-d-vance-sherrod-brown-co-sponsor-rail-safety-bill-after-fiery-derailment-in-east-palestine |archive-date=March 2, 2023 |access-date=March 2, 2023 |publisher=WCPO}}{{cite news |last=Everett |first=Burgess |date=March 2, 2023 |title=How J.D. Vance made Dem friends on rail safety |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2023/03/02/vance-dems-rail-safety-00085063 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230302100933/https://www.politico.com/news/2023/03/02/vance-dems-rail-safety-00085063 |archive-date=March 2, 2023 |access-date=March 2, 2023 |website=Politico}} but the bill failed due to lack of intra-caucus Republican support.{{cite news | last1=Perano | first1=Ursula | url=https://www.politico.com/newsletters/inside-congress/2024/09/06/rail-safety-bill-vance-brown-senate-00177818 | title=So about that rail safety bill ... | website=Politico | date=September 6, 2024 | access-date=January 10, 2025 | archive-date=September 18, 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240918171612/https://www.politico.com/newsletters/inside-congress/2024/09/06/rail-safety-bill-vance-brown-senate-00177818 | url-status=live }}{{cite news | url=https://www.post-gazette.com/opinion/editorials/2024/10/25/east-palestine-deluzio-railroad-safety-enhancement-act-norfolk-southern/stories/202410150020 | title=Lessons from East Palestine have yet to be made law | website=Pittsburg-Post Gazette | date=October 25, 2024 |access-date=January 10, 2025}}{{cite news | last1=Elverd | first1=Stephanie | url=https://www.heraldstaronline.com/news/local-news/2024/12/nearly-two-years-after-the-derailment-preventative-legislation-is-stalled/ | title=Nearly two years after the derailment, preventative legislation is stalled | website=Herald-Star | date=December 21, 2024 | access-date=January 10, 2025 | archive-date=December 23, 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241223053936/https://www.heraldstaronline.com/news/local-news/2024/12/nearly-two-years-after-the-derailment-preventative-legislation-is-stalled/ | url-status=live }} In June 2023, Vance voted against raising the debt ceiling, standing against final passage of the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023{{cite news |last=Folley |first=Aris |date=June 1, 2023 |title=Here are the senators who voted against the bill to raise the debt ceiling |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/4031302-here-are-the-senators-who-voted-against-the-bill-to-raise-the-debt-ceiling/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230618001804/https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/4031302-here-are-the-senators-who-voted-against-the-bill-to-raise-the-debt-ceiling/ |archive-date=June 18, 2023 |access-date=June 17, 2023 |website=The Hill}} and saying it would result in "a reduced military in the face of a rising threat from China".{{cite news |last=BeMiller |first=Haley |date=June 2, 2023 |title=Only one Ohio lawmaker opposed a bipartisan deal to avoid federal government default |url=https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/politics/2023/06/02/debt-ceiling-jd-vance-opposes-bipartisan-deal-to-avoid-default/70280810007/ |access-date=October 12, 2024 |newspaper=Cincinnati Enquirer}}
File:Senator JD Vance speaking on the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024.webm, December 2023]]
In July 2023, Vance and Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene introduced legislation that would have made gender-affirming care for minors a federal crime, with penalties of up to 12 years in prison.{{Cite web |last=Livingston |first=Doug |date=July 17, 2024 |title=What We Know About J.D. Vance's Legislative Action on Criminal Justice |url=https://www.themarshallproject.org/2024/07/17/what-we-know-from-sen-j-d-vance-s-legislative-action-on-criminal-justice-issues |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240720180634/https://www.themarshallproject.org/2024/07/17/what-we-know-from-sen-j-d-vance-s-legislative-action-on-criminal-justice-issues |archive-date=July 20, 2024 |access-date=July 20, 2024 |website=The Marshall Project |language=en}} In June 2024, Vance sponsored the Dismantle DEI Act, which would ban federal diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and funding for agencies, contractors, and organizations receiving federal funds.{{Cite news |last=Daniels |first=Cheyanne M. |date=June 12, 2024 |title=Republicans introduce measure banning DEI in federal government |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/race-politics/4718195-dei-federal-government-ban-republicans/ |access-date=October 12, 2024 |website=The Hill |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |first=Sabrina |last=Eaton |date=August 21, 2024 |title=From banning 'X' gender passports to dismantling federal DEI programs: 13 items on JD Vance's legislative wish list |url=https://www.cleveland.com/news/2024/08/from-banning-x-gender-passports-to-dismantling-federal-dei-programs-13-items-on-jd-vances-legislative-wish-list.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=October 12, 2024 |website=The Plain Dealer |location=Cleveland |language=en}} Vance was not present for any Senate votes during his vice-presidential campaign.{{cite news |last=Eaton |first=Sabrina |date=October 21, 2024 |title=JD Vance has missed every U.S. Senate vote since becoming Donald Trump's vice presidential running mate |url=https://www.cleveland.com/news/2024/10/jd-vance-has-missed-every-us-senate-vote-since-becoming-donald-trumps-vice-presidential-running-mate.html |access-date=October 22, 2024 |website=The Plain Dealer |location=Cleveland}}{{cite news |last1=Caldwell |first1=Leigh Ann |last2=Meyer |first2=Theodoric |last3=Dent |first3=Alec |date=September 25, 2024 |title=JD Vance has been MIA in the Senate. Does it matter? |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/09/25/jd-vance-has-been-mia-senate-does-it-matter/ |access-date=October 22, 2024 |newspaper=The Washington Post |archive-date=September 25, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240925121058/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/09/25/jd-vance-has-been-mia-senate-does-it-matter/ |url-status=live }}
Vance became Ohio's senior senator on January 3, 2025, upon the swearing-in of Bernie Moreno. At midnight on January 10, Vance resigned from the Senate in anticipation of his inauguration as vice president of the United States on January 20.{{cite news |last1=Fortinsky |first1=Sarah |title=Vance resigning his Senate seat at midnight |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5077897-vance-resigning-his-senate-seat-at-midnight/ |website=The Hill |access-date=January 13, 2025 |date=January 9, 2025}} On January 17, Governor Mike DeWine announced his appointment of Jon Husted to the Senate seat Vance vacated.{{Cite web |last=Krieg |first=Daniel Strauss, Gregory |date=January 17, 2025 |title=DeWine expected to name state Ohio Lt. Gov. Jon Husted to fill Senate seat vacated by Vance |url=https://www.cnn.com/2025/01/17/politics/jon-husted-ohio-senate-seat/index.html |access-date=January 17, 2025 |website=CNN |quote=Pressed on his previous interest in being governor, and the decision to accept the appointment to the US Senate, Husted said he 'switched my mind probably 100 times.' |language=en}}
== Committee assignments ==
- Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
- Financial Institutions and Consumer Protection subcommittee
- Housing, Transportation, and Community Development subcommittee
- Securities, Insurance, and Investment subcommittee
- Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
- Communications, Media, and Broadband subcommittee
- Oceans, Fisheries, Climate Change, and Manufacturing subcommittee
- Space and Science subcommittee
- Senate Special Committee on Aging
2024 presidential election
=Vice-presidential campaign=
{{Main|Donald Trump 2024 presidential campaign|2024 Republican Party vice presidential candidate selection}}
On January 31, 2023, Vance endorsed former president Donald Trump in the 2024 Republican Party presidential primaries.{{cite news |date=January 31, 2023 |title=Ohio US Sen. JD Vance endorses Donald Trump in 2024 presidential election |first=Tyler |last=Carey |url=https://www.wkyc.com/article/news/politics/elections/us-sen-jd-vance-endorses-donald-trump-2024-presidential-election/95-9f410b1e-2a3e-4d9f-b31b-8e6fc87f4f46 |access-date=July 15, 2024 |publisher=WKYC |archive-date=July 18, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240718063008/https://www.wkyc.com/article/news/politics/elections/us-sen-jd-vance-endorses-donald-trump-2024-presidential-election/95-9f410b1e-2a3e-4d9f-b31b-8e6fc87f4f46 |url-status=live}}{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn07dv4mrg2o |title=JD Vance was once 'never Trump'. Now he's his running mate |work=BBC News |first=Mike |last=Wendling |date=July 16, 2024 |quote='I'm a 'never Trump' guy. I never liked him' and 'My god what an idiot' and 'I find him reprehensible' and 'I go back and forth between thinking Trump is a cynical asshole... or that he's America's Hitler' |access-date=August 8, 2024 |archive-date=August 8, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240808162633/https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn07dv4mrg2o |url-status=live}} On July 15, 2024, the first day of the Republican National Convention, Trump announced on Truth Social that he had chosen Vance as his running mate.{{cite news |title=Trump picks Ohio Sen. JD Vance for vice president |first=Henry J. |last=Gomez |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/trump-vice-president-running-mate-pick-jd-vance-rcna157485 |access-date=July 15, 2024 |publisher=NBC News |date=July 15, 2024 |archive-date=July 15, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240715193433/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/trump-vice-president-running-mate-pick-jd-vance-rcna157485 |url-status=live}} On July 17, the third day of the convention, Vance accepted the nomination to be Trump's running mate.{{cite news |url=https://apnews.com/article/trump-vance-rnc-2024-67880a3003a69938aebd3ac8a586dc65 |first1=Jill |last1=Colvin |first2=Jonathan J. |last2=Cooper |first3=Steve |last3=Peoples |title=JD Vance introduces himself as Trump's running mate and makes direct appeal to his native Rust Belt |work=Associated Press News |date=July 17, 2024 |access-date=July 17, 2024 |archive-date=July 17, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240717072723/https://apnews.com/article/trump-vance-rnc-2024-67880a3003a69938aebd3ac8a586dc65 |url-status=live}}
Trump's two eldest sons, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, advocated for their father to choose Vance. Several media and industry figures are said to have lobbied for Vance to be on the presidential ticket, including Elon Musk, David O. Sacks, Tucker Carlson, and Peter Thiel, who first introduced Trump to Vance in 2021.{{Cite magazine |title=How Tucker Carlson and Elon Musk Secretly Lobbied Trump on J.D. Vance |url=https://newrepublic.com/post/183888/tucker-carlson-elon-musk-secretly-lobbied-trump-jd-vance |date=July 16, 2024 |first=Paige |last=Oamek |access-date=July 17, 2024 |magazine=The New Republic |issn=0028-6583 |archive-date=July 17, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240717053551/https://newrepublic.com/post/183888/tucker-carlson-elon-musk-secretly-lobbied-trump-jd-vance |url-status=live}}{{Cite news |last=Schleifer |first=Theodore |date=July 27, 2024 |title=Peter Thiel, Elated by the JD Vance Pick, Warms to Trump Again |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/27/us/politics/peter-thiel-trump-jd-vance.html |access-date=August 20, 2024 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=August 20, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240820154429/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/27/us/politics/peter-thiel-trump-jd-vance.html |url-status=live}} The Heritage Foundation, which drafted Project 2025, privately advocated for Vance to be Trump's vice-presidential pick.{{Cite news |date=July 15, 2024 |title=Outside RNC, conservative group defends its Project 2025 guidebook as Democrats ramp up critiques |url=https://apnews.com/article/rnc-republicans-heritage-foundation-project-2025-8cce6cfef6f5bdf45269146739222f80 |access-date=July 15, 2024 |first=Nicholas |last=Riccardi |work=Associated Press |archive-date=July 16, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240716030547/https://apnews.com/article/rnc-republicans-heritage-foundation-project-2025-8cce6cfef6f5bdf45269146739222f80 |url-status=live}} Musk responded to Trump's vice-presidential pick hours after its announcement, saying the ticket "resounds with victory". David Sacks, a prominent GOP donor and Silicon Valley venture capitalist, wrote on Twitter: "This is who I want by Trump's side: an American patriot." In 2022, Sacks gave a super PAC supporting Vance's Senate campaign $900,000, and Peter Thiel added $15 million.{{Cite news |last1=Dwoskin |first1=Elizabeth |last2=Zakrzewski |first2=Cat |last3=Tiku |first3=Nitasha |last4=Dawsey |first4=Josh |date=July 28, 2024 |title=Inside the powerful Peter Thiel network that anointed JD Vance |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2024/07/28/jd-vance-peter-thiel-donors-big-tech-trump-vp/ |newspaper=The Washington Post}} It was initially reported that Elon Musk would contribute $45 million monthly to the Trump-Vance campaign,{{cite magazine |url=https://www.wired.com/story/silicon-valley-elon-musk-rally-behind-vance-vp/ |title=Elon Musk Among Tech Heavyweights to Rally Behind J.D. Vance VP Pick |url-status=live |last=Kelly |first=Makena |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240721044029/https://www.wired.com/story/silicon-valley-elon-musk-rally-behind-vance-vp/ |archive-date=July 21, 2024 |magazine=Wired |date=July 16, 2024 |access-date=July 21, 2024}} but Musk later said he planned to donate "much lower amounts".{{cite magazine |last1=Lutz |first1=Eric |title=Surprise: Elon Musk Says He Isn't Actually Donating $45 Million a Month to Trump |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/news/story/elon-musk-not-donating-45-million-a-month-to-donald-trump |magazine=Vanity Fair |date=July 24, 2024 |access-date=July 26, 2024 |archive-date=July 25, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240725054537/https://www.vanityfair.com/news/story/elon-musk-not-donating-45-million-a-month-to-donald-trump |url-status=live}}{{cite news |last=Breuninger |first=Kevin |title=Trump says Elon Musk 'never told me' he would pledge $45 million a month to campaign |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2024/07/25/trump-elon-musk-45-million-campaign.html |publisher=CNBC |date=July 25, 2024 |language=en |access-date=July 26, 2024 |archive-date=July 25, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240725202513/https://www.cnbc.com/2024/07/25/trump-elon-musk-45-million-campaign.html |url-status=live}}
On May 15, 2024, Trump attended a $50,000 per head private fundraising dinner with Vance in Cincinnati.{{cite news |first=Henry J. |last=Gomez |date=May 1, 2024 |title=Trump to hold Ohio fundraiser with VP contender JD Vance |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/trump-hold-ohio-fundraiser-vp-contender-jd-vance-rcna150127 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240703072506/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/trump-hold-ohio-fundraiser-vp-contender-jd-vance-rcna150127 |archive-date=July 3, 2024 |access-date=July 15, 2024 |publisher=NBC News}} Guests included Chris Bortz and Republican fundraiser Nate Morris.{{cite news |date=May 16, 2024 |title=Donald Trump was spotted at Northern Kentucky/Cincinnati airport. Why? Who was he with? |url=https://eu.courier-journal.com/story/news/politics/2024/05/16/why-donald-trump-northern-kentucky-cincinnati-jd-vance-fundraiser-airport-lexington-kelly-joe-craft/73712323007/ |access-date=July 15, 2024 |first1=Ana Rocío |last1=Álvarez Bríñez |first2=Scott |last2=Wartman |first3=Sharon |last3=Coolidge |first4=Haley |last4=BeMiller |website=Courier Journal |archive-date=September 1, 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240901155613/https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/politics/2024/05/16/why-donald-trump-northern-kentucky-cincinnati-jd-vance-fundraiser-airport-lexington-kelly-joe-craft/73712323007/ |url-status=live}} Vance appeared at significant conservative political events and in June was described as a potential running mate for Trump.{{Cite news |date=June 20, 2024 |title=JD Vance VP Speculation Caps Rise From Poverty to Washington |first1=Mark |last1=Niquette |first2=Steven T. |last2=Dennis |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-06-20/trump-s-vp-candidates-jd-vance-famous-for-hillbilly-elegy-on-shortlist |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240716082428/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-06-20/trump-s-vp-candidates-jd-vance-famous-for-hillbilly-elegy-on-shortlist |archive-date=July 16, 2024 |access-date=July 16, 2024 |work=Bloomberg News}}{{cite news |first=Andrew J. |last=Tobias |date=June 23, 2024 |title=Ohio's JD Vance could be Donald Trump's running mate. What would happen to his Senate seat if he wins? |url=https://www.cleveland.com/news/2024/06/ohios-jd-vance-could-be-donald-trumps-running-mate-what-would-happen-to-his-senate-seat-if-he-wins.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240716065121/https://www.cleveland.com/news/2024/06/ohios-jd-vance-could-be-donald-trumps-running-mate-what-would-happen-to-his-senate-seat-if-he-wins.html |archive-date=July 16, 2024 |access-date=July 16, 2024 |website=The Plain Dealer |location=Cleveland}} In July, a former friend of Vance's from Yale Law School exposed to the media communications between them and Vance from 2014 to 2017, with the friend alleging that Vance has "changed [his] opinion on literally every imaginable issue that affects everyday Americans" in pursuit of "political power and wealth".{{cite news |last1=Saul |first1=Stephanie |title=JD Vance, an Unlikely Friendship and Why It Ended |url-status=live |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/27/us/politics/jd-vance-friend-transgender.html |access-date=July 31, 2024 |work=The New York Times |date=July 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240730161637/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/27/us/politics/jd-vance-friend-transgender.html |archive-date=July 30, 2024}}{{cite news |last1=Bradner |first1=Eric |title=JD Vance's former Yale classmate and friend says emails show political transformation on 'literally every imaginable issue' |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2024/07/29/politics/jd-vance-yale-friend-political-transformation-trump/index.html |access-date=July 31, 2024 |publisher=CNN |date=July 30, 2024 |archive-date=August 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240829031617/https://edition.cnn.com/2024/07/29/politics/jd-vance-yale-friend-political-transformation-trump/index.html |url-status=live}}
In late July 2024, after President Joe Biden withdrew his candidacy for reelection and Vice President Kamala Harris became a presidential candidate, Vance said at a private fundraiser that the "bad news is that Kamala Harris does not have the same baggage as Joe Biden ... Kamala Harris is obviously not struggling in the same ways that Joe Biden did"; a day later, Vance told the media: "I don't think the political calculus changes at all" whether Harris or Biden was the Democratic nominee.{{cite news |last1=Arnsdorf |first1=Isaac |title=Vance tells donors Harris change was a 'sucker punch,' at odds with campaign |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/07/29/jd-vance-kamala-harris-campaign/ |access-date=July 31, 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240730192941/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/07/29/jd-vance-kamala-harris-campaign/ |url-status=live |archive-date=July 30, 2024 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=July 29, 2024}} Following criticism of his past remarks and political positions, Vance said in an August 2024 interview that a vice president "doesn't really matter" and that "Kamala Harris has been a bad vice president".{{cite news |last1=Mitovich |first1=Jared |title=JD Vance suggests VP picks don't matter |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2024/08/02/jd-vance-vp-picks-00172526 |access-date=August 4, 2024 |work=Politico |date=August 2, 2024}} This came after Trump said that the "vice president, in terms of the election, does not have any impact". In late August, after the Trump campaign was embroiled in controversy for allegedly bringing cameras into a restricted area of Arlington National Cemetery during Trump's visit there, Vance first said that Harris "can go to hell" because "she wants to yell at Donald Trump because he showed up", and then said "Don't do this fake outrage thing". At the time of his comments, Harris had not publicly discussed the incident.{{cite news |last1=Vazquez |first1=Maegan |title=Vance tells Harris to 'go to hell' for cemetery criticism she didn't give |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/08/29/vance-trump-comments-attacks-harris/ |access-date=August 29, 2024 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=August 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240829114445/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/08/29/vance-trump-comments-attacks-harris/ |url-status=live |archive-date=August 29, 2024}}{{cite news |last1=Delaney |first1=Arthur |title=JD Vance Says Kamala Harris 'Can Go To Hell' |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/jd-vance-kamala-harris-can-go-to-hell_n_66cf8a82e4b0b422df214bc2 |access-date=August 29, 2024 |work=HuffPost |date=August 28, 2024}}{{cite news |last1=Kornfield |first1=Meryl |title=Vance defends telling Harris to 'go to hell' for nonexistent cemetery criticism |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/08/29/trump-harris-cemetery-go-to-hell/ |access-date=August 30, 2024 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=August 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240830013426/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/08/29/trump-harris-cemetery-go-to-hell/ |archive-date=August 30, 2024}}
File:DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas Attends the NYC 9 11 Remembrance Ceremony (53989848647).jpg, President Biden, and Vice President Harris at the National September 11 Memorial event in New York City on September 11, 2024]]
In August 2024, Vance said that Trump "said that explicitly that he would" veto a national abortion ban.{{cite news |last1=Suter |first1=Tara |title=Vance says Trump would veto federal abortion ban |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4846241-vance-trump-would-veto-federal-abortion-ban/ |access-date=September 13, 2024 |work=The Hill |date=August 24, 2024 |archive-date=September 12, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240912133019/https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4846241-vance-trump-would-veto-federal-abortion-ban/ |url-status=live}} In September 2024, during his debate with Harris, Trump was asked about Vance's statement about the veto, and responded: "I didn't discuss it with JD ... I think he was speaking for me—but I really didn't."{{cite news |last1=Cameron |first1=Chris |title=Trump Undermines Vance on Abortion Ban Veto: 'I Didn't Discuss It With JD' |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/11/us/politics/vance-trump-abortion-ban.html |access-date=September 13, 2024 |work=The New York Times |date=September 11, 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240911194257/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/11/us/politics/vance-trump-abortion-ban.html |archive-date=September 11, 2024}}{{cite news |last1=Fernando |first1=Christine |title=Trump wouldn't say whether he'd veto a national ban even as abortion remains a top election issue |url=https://apnews.com/article/abortion-trump-harris-contraception-debate-vance-2f11a66ab4619fcb3d9917ee51a9c060 |access-date=September 13, 2024 |work=Associated Press |date=September 12, 2024 |archive-date=September 13, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240913014017/https://apnews.com/article/abortion-trump-harris-contraception-debate-vance-2f11a66ab4619fcb3d9917ee51a9c060 |url-status=live}}
In late September 2024, Vance spoke at a western Pennsylvania town hall event organized by Lance Wallnau, who has promoted election denialism and called Kamala Harris a "demon".{{cite news |last1=Kornfield |first1=Meryl |last2=Allam |first2=Hannah |title=Vance appears at event hosted by hard-right Christian nationalist |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/elections/2024/09/28/jd-vance-christian-nationalism-lance-wallnau/ |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=September 28, 2024 |access-date=September 29, 2024 |archive-date=October 2, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241002051838/https://www.washingtonpost.com/elections/2024/09/28/jd-vance-christian-nationalism-lance-wallnau/ |url-status=live }}{{cite news |last1=Dias |first1=Elizabeth |last2=Cameron |first2=Chris |title=Vance Appears at Event of Evangelical Leader Who Spoke of Harris's 'Witchcraft' |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/28/us/politics/vance-lance-wallnau-witchcraft.html |work=The New York Times |date=September 28, 2024 |access-date=September 29, 2024 |archive-date=September 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240929041737/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/28/us/politics/vance-lance-wallnau-witchcraft.html |url-status=live }}{{cite news |last1=Bennett |first1=Geoff |title=The significance of Vance's appearance at event hosted by far-right Christian nationalist |url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/the-significance-of-vances-appearance-at-event-hosted-by-far-right-christian-nationalist |work=PBS News Hour |date=September 30, 2024 |access-date=October 1, 2024 |archive-date=October 2, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241002000158/https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/the-significance-of-vances-appearance-at-event-hosted-by-far-right-christian-nationalist |url-status=live }} In October 2024, Vance said he did not believe Trump lost the 2020 presidential election and that he believed "Big Tech rigged the election" through censorship.{{Cite news |date=October 16, 2024 |first=Alec |last=Hernández |access-date=November 3, 2024 |title=Vance says Trump didn't lose the 2020 election: 'Not by the words I would use' |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/vance-says-trump-not-lose-2020-election-not-words-use-rcna175787 |publisher=NBC News}}
= Comments on childlessness =
{{redirect|Childless cat ladies|the archetype|Cat lady}}
Shortly after being named Trump's running mate, Vance was criticized for saying in a 2021 Fox News interview, "we are effectively run in this country via the Democrats, via our corporate oligarchs, by a bunch of childless cat ladies who are miserable at their own lives and the choices that they've made and so they want to make the rest of the country miserable too."{{cite news |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/jd-vance-slammed-childless-cat-ladies-comment/story?id=112272258 |title=JD Vance slammed for 'childless cat ladies' comment |last=Reinstein |first=Julia |publisher=ABC News |date=July 25, 2024 |access-date=July 26, 2024 |archive-date=July 26, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240726184515/https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/jd-vance-slammed-childless-cat-ladies-comment/story?id=112272258 |url-status=live}} The resurfaced comments, which were posted by MeidasTouch editor-in-chief Ron Filipkowski, sparked an immediate backlash across news and social media.{{cite news |last=Alund |first=Natalie Neysa |title=Vance's 'childless cat ladies' comment sparks uproar from Swift fans: 'Armageddon is coming' |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/celebrities/2024/07/24/taylor-swift-jd-vance-childless-cat-ladies/74525531007/ |date=July 24, 2024 |access-date=July 31, 2024 |website=USA Today |language=en-US |archive-date=August 18, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240818193041/https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/celebrities/2024/07/24/taylor-swift-jd-vance-childless-cat-ladies/74525531007/ |url-status=live}}{{cite news |date=July 25, 2024 |title=Jennifer Aniston slams JD Vance over 'childless cat ladies' comment from resurfaced interview |first=Minyvonne |last=Burke |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/jennifer-aniston-slams-jd-vance-childless-cat-ladies-comment-resurface-rcna163633 |access-date=July 31, 2024 |publisher=NBC News |language=en |archive-date=August 18, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240818193043/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/jennifer-aniston-slams-jd-vance-childless-cat-ladies-comment-resurface-rcna163633 |url-status=live}} On July 26, 2024, Vance clarified his remarks on The Megyn Kelly Show, saying, "It's not a criticism of people who don't have children" and "this is about criticizing the Democratic Party for becoming anti-family and anti-child".{{cite news |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4794753-vance-childless-cat-ladies-blowback/ |title=Vance defends 'sarcastic' 'childless cat ladies' remarks amid blowback |last=Samuels |first=Brett |work=The Hill |date=July 26, 2024 |access-date=July 26, 2024 |archive-date=July 26, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240726172041/https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4794753-vance-childless-cat-ladies-blowback/ |url-status=live}} He has said that being "pro-babies and pro-family" should be the Republican Party's highest priority.{{cite magazine |last1=Corn |first1=David |author-link1=David Corn |date=August 1, 2024 |title=JD Vance Attacked AOC for Promoting a 'Sociopathic Attitude' About Children |url=https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2024/08/jd-vance-aoc-childless/ |magazine=Mother Jones |access-date=August 11, 2024 |archive-date=August 8, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240808145041/https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2024/08/jd-vance-aoc-childless/ |url-status=live}}
After backlash to the Fox News interview, additional comments that Vance had made in interviews about childless people resurfaced. In a 2020 podcast interview, he said that being childless "makes people more sociopathic and ultimately our whole country a little bit less, less mentally stable".{{cite news |last=Sforza |first=Lauren |date=July 30, 2024 |title=Vance: 'Childless people' in US leadership 'more sociopathic' |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4799959-vance-criticizes-childless-people/ |website=The Hill |access-date=July 31, 2024 |archive-date=July 31, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240731015213/https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4799959-vance-criticizes-childless-people/ |url-status=live}} Vance's campaign referred to "radical childless leaders in this country" in a fundraising email sent after his appearance on Tucker Carlson Tonight. CNN found multiple examples of Vance making similarly disparaging remarks about childless people, primarily Democratic officials.{{cite news |last1=Kaczynski |first1=Andrew |last2=Steck |first2=Em |date=July 30, 2024 |title=It's not just 'cat ladies': JD Vance has a history of disparaging people without kids |website=CNN Politics |url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/30/politics/kfile-jd-vance-history-disparaging-people-without-kids/index.html |access-date=September 3, 2024 |language=en |archive-date=September 3, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240903091250/https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/30/politics/kfile-jd-vance-history-disparaging-people-without-kids/index.html |url-status=live }} In a 2021 speech at a Center for Christian Virtue leadership meeting, Vance said that childless teachers were "trying to brainwash the minds of our children" and criticized American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten, saying: "If she wants to brainwash and destroy the minds of children, she should have some of her own and leave ours the hell alone."{{cite news |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/resurfaced-remarks-vance-bashes-teachers-union-president-not-children-rcna168552 |title=In resurfaced remarks, Vance bashes teachers union president for not having 'some of her own' children |last=Richards |first=Zoë |publisher=NBC News |date=August 27, 2024 |access-date=August 28, 2024 |archive-date=August 28, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240828035002/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/resurfaced-remarks-vance-bashes-teachers-union-president-not-children-rcna168552 |url-status=live}} He also suggested in a March 2021 interview on The Charlie Kirk Show that childless people should be taxed at a higher rate than those with children, adding that the U.S. should "reward the things that we think are good" and "punish the things that we think are bad".{{cite news |url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/vance-argued-higher-tax-rate-childless-americans-2021/story?id=112284318 |title=Vance argued for higher tax rate on childless Americans in 2021 interview |last1=Steakin |first1=Will |last2=Faulders |first2=Katherine |publisher=ABC News |date=July 26, 2024 |access-date=July 27, 2024 |archive-date=July 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240727003633/https://abcnews.go.com/US/vance-argued-higher-tax-rate-childless-americans-2021/story?id=112284318 |url-status=live}} In an August 2024 interview on Face the Nation, Vance said he supported increasing the child tax credit from $2,000 per child to $5,000 per child, even though his Senate Republican colleagues had blocked an expanded child tax credit two weeks earlier while he was absent for the vote, having called it a "show vote" and saying it would not have passed even if he had been present.{{cite news |last1=Dore |first1=Kate |title=Vance wants to raise the child tax credit to $5,000. Here's why that could be difficult |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2024/08/12/jd-vance-trump-raise-child-tax-credit.html |publisher=CNBC |date=August 12, 2024 |access-date=August 14, 2024 |archive-date=August 14, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240814142730/https://www.cnbc.com/2024/08/12/jd-vance-trump-raise-child-tax-credit.html |url-status=live}}{{cite news |last1=Picchi |first1=Aimee |title=JD Vance wants a $5,000 Child Tax Credit, or 150% more than the current CTC. Here's what to know. |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/jd-vance-child-tax-credit-5000-what-to-know/ |publisher=CBS News |date=August 12, 2024 |access-date=August 14, 2024 |archive-date=August 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240829031619/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/jd-vance-child-tax-credit-5000-what-to-know/ |url-status=live}}
= Comments on Haitian immigrants =
{{Main|Springfield pet-eating hoax}}
In September 2024, Vance made allegations of "Haitian illegal immigrants draining social services and generally causing chaos all over Springfield, Ohio. Reports now show that people have had their pets abducted and eaten by people who shouldn't be in this country". Trump subsequently echoed the allegations, including during a presidential debate. Springfield authorities said there were "no credible reports or specific claims" of such incidents and that "Haitian immigrants are here legally".{{cite news |last1=Bernal |first1=Rafael |title=Vance pushes false accusations of Haitians eating pets |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4869901-vance-haitians-eating-pets-ohio-trump/ |access-date=September 10, 2024 |work=The Hill |date=September 9, 2024 |archive-date=September 10, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240910201726/https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4869901-vance-haitians-eating-pets-ohio-trump/ |url-status=live}}{{cite news |last1=Ingram |first1=David |title=Ohio police have 'no credible reports' of Haitian immigrants harming pets, contradicting JD Vance's claim |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/misinformation/jd-vance-ohio-police-no-reports-haitian-immigrants-harming-pets-rcna170271 |access-date=September 10, 2024 |publisher=NBC News |date=September 10, 2024 |archive-date=September 11, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240911215439/https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/misinformation/jd-vance-ohio-police-no-reports-haitian-immigrants-harming-pets-rcna170271 |url-status=live}} Vance then said that it was "possible, of course, that all of these rumors will turn out to be false", but also told his supporters to "keep the cat memes flowing".{{cite news |last1=Maher |first1=Kit |title=Vance says false claim he spread against Haitian migrants may not be true but urges followers to keep posting 'cat memes' |url=https://cnn.com/2024/09/10/politics/jd-vance-haitian-immigrants |access-date=September 11, 2024 |publisher=CNN |date=September 10, 2024 |archive-date=September 11, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240911002059/https://www.cnn.com/2024/09/10/politics/jd-vance-haitian-immigrants |url-status=live}} He then promoted conservative activist Christopher Rufo's allegation that African migrants were eating cats in Dayton, Ohio; Dayton authorities reported "no evidence to even remotely suggest that any group, including our immigrant community, is engaged in eating pets".{{cite news |last1=Valdez |first1=Aaron |title=JD Vance shares social media post about immigrants cooking pets in Dayton, city refutes it |url=https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2024/09/14/dayton-officials-debunk-rumors-of-migrants-eating-pets/75226286007/ |access-date=September 15, 2024 |work=Cincinnati Enquirer |date=September 14, 2024 |archive-date=September 14, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240914230842/https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2024/09/14/dayton-officials-debunk-rumors-of-migrants-eating-pets/75226286007/ |url-status=live}}{{cite news |last1=Tarrant |first1=Rhona |title=Ohio police dispute new allegations immigrants are eating pets in Dayton |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ohio-police-dispute-new-allegations-immigrants-are-eating-pets-in-dayton/ |access-date=September 15, 2024 |publisher=CBS News |date=September 14, 2024 |archive-date=September 14, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240914233907/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ohio-police-dispute-new-allegations-immigrants-are-eating-pets-in-dayton/ |url-status=live}}
After Vance's claim about Haitians eating pets was disputed, he said: "Do you know what's confirmed? That a child was murdered by a Haitian migrant who had no right to be here"; the child had actually died in an accidental collision between vehicles in Springfield, and the child's father criticized Vance for using the child's "death for political gain".{{cite news |last1=Jingnan |first1=Huo |last2=Garsd |first2=Jasmine |title=JD Vance spreads debunked claims about Haitian immigrants eating pets |url=https://www.npr.org/2024/09/10/nx-s1-5107320/jd-vance-springfield-ohio-haitians-pets |access-date=September 14, 2024 |publisher=NPR |date=September 10, 2024 |archive-date=September 11, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240911122808/https://www.npr.org/2024/09/10/nx-s1-5107320/jd-vance-springfield-ohio-haitians-pets |url-status=live}}{{cite news |last1=Paybarah |first1=Azi |title=Grieving Ohio father to Trump and Vance: Stop using my son 'for political gain' |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/09/11/trump-vance-aiden-clark-death-ohio-haitian-immigrants/ |access-date=September 14, 2024 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=September 11, 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240911205932/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/09/11/trump-vance-aiden-clark-death-ohio-haitian-immigrants/ |archive-date=September 11, 2024}} Vance also alleged a "massive rise in communicable diseases" in Springfield, but Clark County's health commissioner reported having "not seen a substantial increase in all reportable communicable diseases".{{Cite news |date=September 14, 2024 |title=Bomb threats force second consecutive day of school closures in Springfield, Ohio |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/bomb-threats-force-second-consecutive-day-school-closures-springfield-rcna171043 |access-date=September 14, 2024 |publisher=NBC News |language=en |first1=Alicia |last1=Lozano |first2=David |last2=Li |archive-date=September 13, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240913172645/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/bomb-threats-force-second-consecutive-day-school-closures-springfield-rcna171043 |url-status=live}} After Vance's and Trump's allegations, Springfield experienced multiple bomb threats in September. Vance denounced "violence or the threat of violence levied against Springfield", but continued his allegations against immigrants there.{{cite news |last1=Kinnard |first1=Meg |title=Trump and Vance are still stoking fears of Haitian migrants, as Ohio community facse bomb threats |url=https://apnews.com/article/trump-vance-haitian-immigrants-ohio-threats-d8efef1d59cbc839534bf3c02f1f8574 |access-date=September 15, 2024 |work=Associated Press |date=September 14, 2024 |archive-date=September 15, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240915015545/https://apnews.com/article/trump-vance-haitian-immigrants-ohio-threats-d8efef1d59cbc839534bf3c02f1f8574 |url-status=live}} He defended his claims about Haitian migrants eating cats, saying that he was willing "to create stories so that the American media actually pays attention ... we're creating a story, meaning we're creating the American media focusing on it."{{cite news |last1=Astor |first1=Maggie |title=Vance Sticks By Pet-Eating Claims and Says He's Willing to 'Create Stories' |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/15/us/politics/jd-vance-springfield-pets.html |access-date=September 16, 2024 |work=The New York Times |date=September 15, 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240915184601/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/15/us/politics/jd-vance-springfield-pets.html |archive-date=September 15, 2024}}
= Vice-presidential debate =
{{Main|2024 United States presidential debates}}{{Excerpt |2024 United States presidential debates#October 1: Vice presidential debate (CBS, New York City) |subsections=yes |paragraphs=1,14, 15 |only=paragraphs |templates=-multiple image}}
= Opinion polls =
File:Former President Donald Trump's Speech at the Republican National Convention (53887722108).jpg]]
In July 2024, a CNN poll analysis after the Republican National Convention showed a net-negative approval rating for Vance. That week, Vance's middling public reception and other concerns led some prominent Republican politicians and political analysts to say that he may have been a poor choice of running mate, especially in light of the shift in the election's dynamics upon the withdrawal of President Biden from the election and advent of Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee.Multiple sources:
- {{cite news |last1=Schnell |first1=Mychael |date=July 26, 2024 |title=Some House Republicans slam JD Vance as Trump's VP pick: 'The worst choice' |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/4793818-vance-vp-trump-house-republicans |access-date=July 27, 2024 |website=The Hill |ref=none}}
- {{cite news |last1=Writer |first1=Aila Slisco |date=July 25, 2024 |title=JD Vance is 'Really Bad Decision' for Trump, Ex-Official Warns |url=https://www.newsweek.com/jd-vance-bad-decision-trump-official-warns-1930432 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240726031019/https://www.newsweek.com/jd-vance-bad-decision-trump-official-warns-1930432 |archive-date=July 26, 2024 |access-date=July 27, 2024 |website=Newsweek |language=en |ref=none}}
- {{cite news |last1=Nelken-Zitser |first1=Joshua |last2=Berman |first2=Taylor |date=July 23, 2024 |title=Trump may Regret Choosing JD Vance as His Running Mate, Political Scientists Say |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-jd-vance-regret-experts-say-wrong-call-2024-7 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240725045156/https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-jd-vance-regret-experts-say-wrong-call-2024-7 |archive-date=July 25, 2024 |access-date=July 27, 2024 |website=Business Insider |ref=none}}
- {{cite magazine |last=Olmsted |first=Edith |date=July 25, 2024 |title=Republicans Really Wish Trump Hadn't Picked J.D. Vance |url=https://newrepublic.com/post/184251/republicans-trump-jd-vance-mistake-biden-kamala-harris |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240726003240/https://newrepublic.com/post/184251/republicans-trump-jd-vance-mistake-biden-kamala-harris |archive-date=July 26, 2024 |access-date=July 27, 2024 |magazine=The New Republic |ref=none}}
After the October 2024 vice-presidential debate, A CBS News/YouGov poll of 1,630 likely debate viewers found Vance's favorability rose from 40% to 49%, while Walz's increased from 52% to 60%. Both candidates' unfavorability ratings also declined, with Vance's dropping from 54% to 47% and Walz's falling from 41% to 35%. The poll had a margin of error of 2.7 points.{{cite news |last=Bohannon |first=Molly |date=October 2, 2024 |title=Tim Walz-JD Vance Polls: Both Candidates' Favorability Increases Post-Debate |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/mollybohannon/2024/10/02/tim-walz-jd-vance-polls-both-candidates-favorability-increases-post-debate/ |access-date=October 5, 2024 |website=Forbes |language=en |archive-date=October 4, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241004223303/https://www.forbes.com/sites/mollybohannon/2024/10/02/tim-walz-jd-vance-polls-both-candidates-favorability-increases-post-debate/ |url-status=live}} As of February 20, 2025, according to FiveThirtyEight, Vance's overall favorability was 40.7% and his unfavorability was 42.5%.{{Cite web |date=June 28, 2018 |title=JD Vance : Favorability Polls |url=https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/polls/favorability/jd-vance/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241003164232/https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/polls/favorability/jd-vance/ |archive-date=October 3, 2024 |access-date=February 25, 2025 |website=FiveThirtyEight |language=en}}
Vice presidency (2025–present)
{{main|Vice presidency of JD Vance}}
{{See also|Second inauguration of Donald Trump|Second presidency of Donald Trump}}
File:Vice President JD Vance is sworn in (01).jpg on January 20, 2025]]
At noon on January 20, 2025, Vance became the 50th vice president of the United States, sworn into the office by Justice Brett Kavanaugh.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.cnn.com/2025/01/20/politics/video/jd-vance-sworn-in-vice-president-digvid |title=Watch: JD Vance sworn in as vice president |last=Woods |first=Ontaria |access-date=January 20, 2025 |date=January 20, 2025 |publisher=CNN }} Before his inauguration, he held a meeting with China's vice president Han Zheng in which they discussed China–United States relations.{{Cite news |last=Wang |first=Orange |date=January 20, 2025 |url=https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3295419/china-vice-president-han-meets-vance-musk-ahead-trump-inauguration |title=Han and Vance strike positive tone for US-China ties ahead of Trump inauguration |newspaper=South China Morning Post |access-date=January 20, 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250120045309/https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3295419/china-vice-president-han-meets-vance-musk-ahead-trump-inauguration |archive-date=January 20, 2025 }} Vance is the third-youngest person to serve as vice president, the second Catholic vice president after Joe Biden, and the first from the Millennial generation. He is also the first Marine Corps veteran to serve as vice president.{{cite news |last=Shkolnikova |first=Svetlana |date=July 16, 2024 |title=Vance credits service in Marine Corps for teaching him 'how to live like an adult' |url=https://www.stripes.com/theaters/us/2024-07-16/vance-trump-marines-vice-president-republicans-14505177.html |work=Stars and Stripes}}
Among Vance's first acts as vice president was swearing in Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the first of Trump's cabinet nominees to be approved by Congress, on January 21.{{cite news |title=Marco Rubio has been sworn in as America's Secretary of State |url=https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/national-international/marco-rubio-trump-secretary-of-state/6115837/ |access-date=January 22, 2025 |agency=Associated Press |publisher=NBC New York |date=January 21, 2025}} On January 24, he cast the tie-breaking vote to confirm Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense.{{cite news |last1=Cooper |first1=Helene |last2=Demirjian |first2=Karoun |title=Pete Hegseth Is Confirmed as Defense Secretary By Slim Margin |url=https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/01/24/us/pete-hegseth-defense-secretary-vote#pete-hegseth-defense-secretary-trump |work=The New York Times |date=January 24, 2025}} In February 2025, after multiple federal judges issued temporary rulings against various Trump administration actions, Vance wrote, "judges aren't allowed to control the executive's legitimate power".{{cite news |last1=Savage |first1=Charlie |last2=Kim |first2=Minho |date=February 9, 2025 |title=Vance Says 'Judges Aren't Allowed to Control' Trump's 'Legitimate Power' |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/09/us/politics/vance-trump-federal-courts-executive-order.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250210013440/https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/09/us/politics/vance-trump-federal-courts-executive-order.html |archive-date=February 10, 2025 |access-date=February 11, 2025 |work=The New York Times}}
File:Vice President JD Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance in Greenland, 2025.jpg and JD Vance at Pituffik Space Base in Greenland, March 2025]]
In a first for a sitting U.S. vice president, in March 2025 Vance visited Greenland, where he said "We can't just ignore the president's desires" for the U.S. to acquire Greenland.{{cite news |last1=Sanger |first1=David |title=Visiting Greenland, Vance Finds the Weather and the Reception Chilly |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/28/us/politics/greenland-jd-vance-usha.html |access-date=March 29, 2025 |work=The New York Times |date=March 28, 2025 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250328212436/https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/28/us/politics/greenland-jd-vance-usha.html |archive-date=March 28, 2025}} He also warned that Greenland faced the "encroachment of powerful countries" China and Russia "as they expand their ambitions", while declaring in a "message to Denmark" that "you have not done a good job". Vance criticized Denmark for having "underinvested in the security architecture" and "people of Greenland".{{cite news |last1=Smith |first1=Benedict |title=Vance tells Greenlanders: Your country is cold as 's---', and China's coming for you |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2025/03/28/jd-vance-greenland-usha-vance/ |access-date=March 29, 2025 |work=The Daily Telegraph |date=March 28, 2025 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250329001256/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2025/03/28/jd-vance-greenland-usha-vance/ |archive-date=March 29, 2025}} The next month, Vance lamented that the "globalist economy" had caused the United States to "borrow money from Chinese peasants to buy the things those Chinese peasants manufacture".{{cite news |last1=Gan |first1=Nectar |title=China lashes out at JD Vance for calling Chinese people 'peasants' |url=https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/08/china/china-slams-vance-peasants-remarks-intl-hnk |access-date=May 7, 2025 |work=CNN |date=April 8, 2025}}
=Munich Security Conference=
{{Main|2025 JD Vance speech at the Munich Security Conference}}
In his February 2025 speech at the Munich Security Conference (MSC), partially due to what he said were examples in Romania, England, Scotland, and Germany, Vance called "the threat from within" his biggest concern in terms of security for Europe, "not Russia, not China".{{Cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dNv9tH0dkU |title=JD Vance goes after European allies in Munich Security Conference speech |publisher=Deutsche Welle |date=February 14, 2025 |access-date=February 14, 2025 |via=YouTube |minutes=2:09}}
Several media outlets regarded the speech as a turning point in European Union–United States relations along with President Trump's telephone conversation with President of Russia Vladimir Putin. Some called it a declaration of "ideological war"{{Cite news|last1=Conesa|first1=Elsa |last2=Kauffmann|first2=Sylvie|date=February 15, 2025|title=In Munich, JD Vance declares ideological war on Europe |url=https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2025/02/15/in-munich-jd-vance-declares-ideological-war-on-europe_6738189_4.html|newspaper=Le Monde|access-date=February 15, 2025}} and "culture war" against the United States' European allies, and a "wrecking ball" to the decades-long status quo of transatlantic relations.{{Cite news|last=Lynch |first=Suzanne|date=February 15, 2025|title=JD Vance brings culture war to Europe|url=https://www.politico.com/newsletters/global-playbook/2025/02/15/jd-vance-brings-culture-war-to-europe-00204492 |access-date=February 15, 2025|newspaper=Politico}}{{Cite news|last1=Gramer|first1=Robbie |last2=McLeary|first2=Paul|last3=Detsch|first3=Jack|last4=Gould|first4=Joe|date=February 14, 2025|title=Vance brings a wrecking ball to diplomatic gathering in Munich |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/vance-brings-a-wrecking-ball-to-diplomatic-gathering-in-munich/|access-date=February 15, 2025|newspaper=Politico|archive-date=February 14, 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250214221036/https://www.politico.eu/article/vance-brings-a-wrecking-ball-to-diplomatic-gathering-in-munich/|url-status=live}}
=Zelenskyy White House visit=
{{Main|2025 Trump–Zelenskyy Oval Office meeting}}
On February 28, 2025, Vance and Trump met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the White House's Oval Office in front of journalists in an internationally broadcast event.{{cite news |last1=Gomez |first1=Henry |title=Vance leans hard into Trump's foreign policy — and sparks an extraordinary Oval Office skirmish |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/vance-leans-hard-trumps-foreign-policy-sparks-extraordinary-oval-offic-rcna194256 |access-date=March 1, 2025 |publisher=NBC News |date=March 1, 2025}}{{cite news |last1=Licon |first1=Adriana |title=What they said: Trump, Zelenskyy and Vance's heated argument in the Oval Office |url=https://apnews.com/article/trump-zelenskyy-vance-transcript-oval-office-80685f5727628c64065da81525f8f0cf |access-date=March 1, 2025 |work=Associated Press News |date=March 1, 2025 }} Vance was mostly quiet for the meeting's first 40 minutes, but then interjected to answer a question about Trump's relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin.{{cite news |last1=Liptak |first1=Kevin |last2=Zeleny |first2=Jeff |title=Inside the 139 minutes that upended the US-Ukraine alliance |url=https://cnn.com/2025/03/01/politics/inside-trump-zelensky-meeting |publisher=CNN |date=March 1, 2025 |access-date=March 1, 2025}} Vance told Zelenskyy: "The path to peace and the path to prosperity is maybe engaging in diplomacy ... What makes America a good country is America engaging in diplomacy. That's what President Trump is doing." Zelenskyy responded that Putin had not abided by a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement with Ukraine, and asked Vance, "What kind of diplomacy, JD, you are speaking about?"{{cite magazine |last1=Benett |first1=Brian |title=After Heated Oval Office Exchange, Trump Ends Pivotal Meeting With Zelensky Early |url=https://time.com/7262883/trump-zelensky-meeting/ |access-date=March 1, 2025 |magazine=Time |date=February 28, 2025}}
File:Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine with JD Vance and Marco Rubio on Friday, 28 February 2025 at the White House, USA.jpg during the meeting]]
The conversation became hostile; Vance replied that he was discussing "diplomacy that's going to end the destruction of" Ukraine, telling Zeleknskyy: "it's disrespectful for you to come to the Oval Office and try to litigate this in front of the American media. Right now, you guys are going around and forcing conscripts to the front lines because you have manpower problems. You should be thanking the president for trying to bring an end to this conflict." Zelenskyy asked whether Vance had ever visited Ukraine; Vance replied that had "watched and seen the stories" about Ukraine, accusing Zelenskyy of showing a "propaganda tour" of Ukraine.{{cite news |last1=Roth |first1=Andrew |title=How JD Vance emerged as the chief saboteur of the transatlantic alliance |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/28/jd-vance-volodymyr-zelenskyy |access-date=March 1, 2025 |newspaper=The Guardian |date=March 1, 2025}} He asked whether Zelenskyy had ever offered thanks, despite Zelenskyy starting the conversation by saying "Thank you so much" to Trump.{{cite news |last1=Pinho |first1=Faith |last2=Wilner |first2=Michael |title='You don't have the cards': Trump and Vance berate Zelensky in Oval Office blowup |url=https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2025-02-28/zelensky-meets-trump-at-white-house-seeking-security-assurances-against-future-russian-aggression |access-date=March 1, 2025 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=February 28, 2025 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250228211916/https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2025-02-28/zelensky-meets-trump-at-white-house-seeking-security-assurances-against-future-russian-aggression |archive-date=February 28, 2025}} Vance falsely said Zelenskyy "went to Pennsylvania and campaigned for the opposition in October" 2024; Zelenskyy had actually visited a factory to thank workers producing ammunition for Ukraine,{{cite news |last1=Cercone |first1=Jeff |last2=Sherman |first2=Amy |last3=Swann |first3=Sara |title=Trump, Vance and Zelenskyy's tense Oval Office meeting about Ukraine and Russia, fact-checked |url=https://www.politifact.com/article/2025/feb/28/trump-vance-and-zelenskyys-tense-oval-office-meeti/ |access-date=March 1, 2025 |work=Politifact |date=February 28, 2025}} though the timing of the visit and separately calling Vance "too radical" raised suspicion among Republicans.{{cite news |first=Brad |last=Dress |date=September 24, 2024 |url=https://thehill.com/policy/defense/4897284-zelensky-vance-pennsylvania-republicans-criticize/ |title=GOP takes aim at Zelensky for Pennsylvania visit, Vance swipe |newspaper=The Hill |access-date=March 13, 2025}} After the meeting, Zelenskyy and his delegation were made to leave the White House, canceling the original plan to sign a minerals deal between Ukraine and the U.S.
Political positions
{{Conservatism US|politicians}}
{{Excerpt| Political positions of JD Vance |templates= -Over-quotation}}
Personal life
Vance wrote in his memoir, Hillbilly Elegy, that he was raised in a low-income family by his single mother and grandmother.{{cite news |last=Kleppinger |first=Ben |date=May 22, 2017 |title='Hillbilly Elegy' author J.D. Vance speaks at Centre graduation |url=https://www.amnews.com/2017/05/22/hillbilly-elegy-author-j-d-vance-speaks-at-centre-graduation/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240716084148/https://www.amnews.com/2017/05/22/hillbilly-elegy-author-j-d-vance-speaks-at-centre-graduation/ |archive-date=July 16, 2024 |access-date=July 16, 2024 |website=The Advocate-Messenger}} In 2013, Vance met Usha Chilukuri while both were students at Yale Law School. In 2014, they married in Kentucky in an interfaith marriage ceremony,{{cite news |last=Bhatia |first=Shireen |date=July 16, 2024 |title=Ohio Senator JD Vance reveals Hindu wife's support for his Christian faith |url=https://www.christiantoday.co.in/news/ohio-senator-jd-vance-reveals-hindu-wifes-support-for-his-christian-faith.html |access-date=July 15, 2024 |website=Christian Today |archive-date=July 17, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240717164909/https://www.christiantoday.co.in/news/ohio-senator-jd-vance-reveals-hindu-wifes-support-for-his-christian-faith.html |url-status=live}}{{Cite news |first=Ian |last=Ward |date=March 15, 2024 |title=Is There Something More Radical than MAGA? J.D. Vance Is Dreaming It. |url=https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/03/15/mr-maga-goes-to-washington-00147054 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240318140514/https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/03/15/mr-maga-goes-to-washington-00147054 |archive-date=March 18, 2024 |access-date=March 18, 2024 |work=Politico}} as she is Hindu and he is Christian.{{cite news |date=June 26, 2024 |title=JD Vance and his wife discuss the potential of being picked for Trump's VP |url=https://www.foxnews.com/video/6355707051112 |access-date=July 15, 2024 |work=Fox & Friends |publisher=Fox News |type=video |archive-date=July 16, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240716123823/https://www.foxnews.com/video/6355707051112 |url-status=live}} Their wedding included a Bible reading by Vance's "best friend", Jamil Jivani,{{cite web |title=Meet JD Vance's Indian American Wife Usha Chilukuri |date=May 4, 2022 |url=https://indiawest.com/meet-jd-vances-indian-american-wife-usha-chilukuri/ |work=India West Journal |access-date=July 15, 2024 |archive-date=July 16, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240716123823/https://indiawest.com/meet-jd-vances-indian-american-wife-usha-chilukuri/ |url-status=live}} and the bride and groom were blessed by a Hindu pandit.{{cite news |title=From Yale to Newsmax, Usha Vance Has Helped J.D. Vance Chart His Path |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/01/style/usha-jd-vance-ohio.html |work=The New York Times |date=November 2022 |access-date=July 15, 2024 |last1=Bernstein |first1=Joseph |last2=Rosman |first2=Katherine |archive-date=July 15, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240715202221/https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/01/style/usha-jd-vance-ohio.html |url-status=live}}{{Cite web |first=Skyler |last=Caruso |title=J.D. Vance's 3 Kids: All About Ewan, Vivek and Mirabel |date=July 15, 2024 |url=https://people.com/all-about-jd-vance-kids-8678153 |access-date=July 15, 2024 |work=People |archive-date=July 17, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240717164902/https://people.com/all-about-jd-vance-kids-8678153 |url-status=live}} Usha clerked for a year for Brett Kavanaugh, at the time an appeals court judge in Washington, then clerked for Chief Justice John Roberts for a year.{{Cite web |date=July 15, 2024 |title=Who is JD Vance? Things to know about Donald Trump's pick for vice president |first=Julie Carr |last=Smyth |url=https://apnews.com/article/election-2024-trump-vice-president-vance-ohio-6500580aab0b451b0a176b9e9bf9901b |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240821182052/https://apnews.com/article/election-2024-trump-vice-president-vance-ohio-6500580aab0b451b0a176b9e9bf9901b |archive-date=August 21, 2024 |access-date=August 23, 2024 |work=Associated Press |language=en}}
JD and Usha Vance have three children. They own over 100 acres of land in Kentucky.
Vance was raised in a "conservative, evangelical" branch of Protestantism. By September 2016, he was "not an active participant" in any particular Christian denomination, but was "thinking very seriously about converting to Catholicism".{{Cite news |last=Dallas |first=Kelsey |date=September 9, 2016 |title=Author J.D. Vance: Faith made me believe in a hopeful future |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/social-issues/author-jd-vance-faith-made-me-believe-in-a-hopeful-future/2016/09/09/3cd46d6a-7604-11e6-be4f-3f42f2e5a49e_story.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230307150038/https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/social-issues/author-jd-vance-faith-made-me-believe-in-a-hopeful-future/2016/09/09/3cd46d6a-7604-11e6-be4f-3f42f2e5a49e_story.html |archive-date=March 7, 2023 |access-date=May 12, 2021 |newspaper=The Washington Post}} In August 2019, Vance was baptized and confirmed in the Catholic Church in a ceremony at St. Gertrude Priory in Cincinnati, Ohio. He chose Augustine of Hippo as his confirmation saint. Vance said he converted because he "became persuaded over time that Catholicism was true [...] and Augustine gave me a way to understand Christian faith in a strongly intellectual way", further describing Catholic theology's alignment with his political views.{{cite news |url=https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2024/07/16/five-faith-facts-about-donald/ |title=Five faith facts about Donald Trump's V.P. pick, JD Vance |date=July 16, 2024 |newspaper=The Salt Lake Tribune |first1=Jack |last1=Jenkins |first2=Aleja |last2=Hertzler-McCain |access-date=September 5, 2024 |archive-date=September 17, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240917011228/https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2024/07/16/five-faith-facts-about-donald/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite magazine |last=Dreher |first=Rod |date=August 11, 2019 |title=J.D. Vance Becomes Catholic |url=https://www.theamericanconservative.com/dreher/j-d-vance-becomes-catholic/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210210112614/https://www.theamericanconservative.com/dreher/j-d-vance-becomes-catholic/ |archive-date=February 10, 2021 |access-date=August 11, 2019 |magazine=The American Conservative}}{{cite web|first=Paul James| last=Marcae| title=Is Trump favorite J.D. Vance a new proponent of Catholic social teaching—or just parts of it?| date=December 4, 2023| url=https://www.americamagazine.org/politics-society/2023/12/04/jd-vance-ohio-catholic-values-246559}} Vance was influenced to convert to Catholicism by Peter Thiel.{{cite news |last1=Lampen |first1=Claire |title=A Guide to J.D. Vance's Most Unhinged Public Statements |url=https://www.thecut.com/article/jd-vance-controversy-weird-quotes.html |orig-date=July 30, 2024 |date=September 1, 2024 |website=The Cut |access-date=August 3, 2024 |archive-date=August 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240829031702/https://www.thecut.com/article/jd-vance-controversy-weird-quotes.html |url-status=live}} He was criticized by Pope Francis for supporting deportation of migrants and responded by evoking the traditional concept of ordo amoris present in Catholic theology, which he interprets as loving his own nationals more than foreigners.{{cite news |last1=Carrière |first1=Jean-Marie |title=J.D. Vance vs. Pope Francis: A clash over love, justice, and political morality – Catholic News – La Croix International |url=https://international.la-croix.com/opinions/jd-vance-vs-pope-francis-a-clash-over-love-justice-and-political-morality|orig-date=February 20, 2025 |access-date=March 18, 2025 |website=La Croix}}
Nate Vance, JD's cousin and a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, volunteered to fight for Ukraine in 2022 after Russia's invasion. He served in the "Da Vinci Wolves" unit, fighting in major battles like Kupiansk and Bakhmut. In 2025, Nate criticized JD's stance on Ukraine, accusing him and Trump of aiding Russia. Nate expressed disappointment that JD, despite their family connection, didn't consult him for insights on the war.{{Cite AV media |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2025/03/11/politics/video/jd-vance-cousin-nate-ukraine-ebof-digvid |title=JD Vance's cousin who served in Ukraine speaks out |date=March 11, 2025 |last=Mabeus |first=Austin |language=en |access-date=April 24, 2025 |via=edition.cnn.com}}{{Cite news |last=Smith |first=Benedict |date=March 9, 2025 |title=Vance and Trump are Putin's 'useful idiots', says US vice-president's cousin |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/03/09/vance-trump-putin-useful-idiots/ |access-date=April 24, 2025 |work=The Telegraph |language=en-GB |issn=0307-1235}}{{Cite web |date=March 13, 2025 |title=Nate Vance kämpft für die Ukraine – und verzweifelt an seinem Cousin JD: "Dachte, ich müsste ersticken" |url=https://www.fr.de/politik/nate-vance-kaempft-fuer-die-ukraine-und-verzweifelt-an-seinem-cousin-jd-dachte-ich-muesste-ersticken-zr-93617796.html |access-date=April 24, 2025 |website=www.fr.de |language=de}}
Electoral history
= 2022 United States Senate race in Ohio =
{{Election box begin no change|title=2022 United States Senate Republican primary results in Ohio{{cite web |title=2022 Official Election Results |url=https://www.ohiosos.gov/elections/election-results-and-data/2022-official-election-results/ |publisher=Ohio Secretary of State |access-date=July 19, 2024 |archive-date=November 10, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221110024424/https://www.ohiosos.gov/elections/election-results-and-data/2022-official-election-results/ |url-status=live}}}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=JD Vance|votes=344,736|percentage=32.22%}}{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=Josh Mandel | votes=255,854|percentage=23.92%}}{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=Matt Dolan | votes=249,239|percentage=23.30%}}{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=Mike Gibbons|votes=124,653|percentage=11.65%}}{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=Jane Timken | votes=62,779|percentage=5.87%}}{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=Mark Pukita|votes=22,692|percentage=2.12%}}{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=Neil Patel|votes=9,873|percentage=0.92%}}{{Election box total no change|votes=1,069,826|percentage=100.0%}}{{Election box end}}{{Election box begin|title=2022 United States Senate election in Ohio}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|candidate=JD Vance|party=Republican Party (United States)|votes=2,192,114|percentage=53.04%|change=N/A}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Tim Ryan | votes=1,939,489|percentage=46.92%|change=N/A}}
{{Election box write-in with party link|votes=1,739|percentage=0.04%|change=N/A}}
{{Election box total|votes=4,133,342|percentage=100.0%|change=N/A}}
{{Election box hold with party link no swing|winner=Republican Party (United States)}}
{{Election box end}}
= 2024 United States presidential election =
{{start U.S. presidential ticket box|title=2024 United States presidential election|pv_footnote={{Cite web |url=https://www.fec.gov/resources/cms-content/documents/2024presgeresults.pdf |title=2024 Presidential Election Results |publisher=Federal Election Commission |date=January 16, 2025 |access-date=January 16, 2025}}|ev_footnote=}}
{{U.S. presidential ticket box row|name=Donald Trump|party=Republican|state=Florida|pv=77,302,580|pv_pct=49.80%|ev=312|vp_name=JD Vance|vp_state=Ohio}}
{{U.S. presidential ticket box row|name=Kamala Harris|party=Democratic|state=California|pv=75,017,613|pv_pct=48.32%|ev=226|vp_name=Tim Walz|vp_state=Minnesota}}
{{U.S. presidential ticket box row|name=Jill Stein|party=Green|state=Massachusetts|pv=862,049|pv_pct=0.56%|ev=0|vp_name=Butch Ware|vp_state=California}}
{{U.S. presidential ticket box row|name=Robert F. Kennedy Jr.|party=Independent|state=California|pv=756,393|pv_pct=0.49%|ev=0|vp_name=Nicole Shanahan|vp_state=California}}
{{U.S. presidential ticket box row|name=Chase Oliver|party=Libertarian|state=Georgia|pv=650,126|pv_pct=0.42%|ev=0|vp_name=Mike ter Maat|vp_state=Virginia}}
{{U.S. presidential ticket box other|footnote=|pv=649,541|pv_pct=0.42%}}
{{end U.S. presidential ticket box|pv=155,238,302|pv_pct=100.00%|ev=538|to_win=270}}
Awards and decorations
Vance's awards and decorations include:
| style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal ribbon.svg|width=106px}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|ribbon=U.S. Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=National Defense Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=106px}} |
| {{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Iraq Campaign Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|{{Ribbon devices|ribbon=Global War on Terrorism Service Medal ribbon.svg|number=0|width=106}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|ribbon=Navy and Marine Corps Sea Service Deployment Ribbon.svg|width=106px}} |
| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;" |
| colspan="4"|Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal
|colspan="4"|Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal |colspan="4"|National Defense Service Medal |
| colspan="4"|Iraq Campaign Medal
|colspan="4"|Global War on Terrorism Service Medal |colspan="4"|Navy and Marine Corps Sea Service Deployment Ribbon |
Works
- {{cite book |author-last=Roberts |author-first=Kevin |author-link=Kevin Roberts (political strategist) |contributor-last=Vance |contributor-first=J. D. |contribution=Foreword |title=Dawn's Early Light: Taking Back Washington to Save America |publisher=Broadside Books |date=September 24, 2024 |isbn=978-0-06-335350-3 |ref=none}}{{cite magazine |title=J.D. Vance in Serious Trouble After Damning Project 2025 Book Foreword |url=https://newrepublic.com/post/184182/jd-vance-trouble-heritage-foundation-project-2025-book-foreword |magazine=The New Republic |first=Robert |last=McCoy |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240725082055/https://newrepublic.com/post/184182/jd-vance-trouble-heritage-foundation-project-2025-book-foreword |archive-date=July 25, 2024 |url-status=live |date=July 24, 2024 |access-date=July 24, 2024}}
- {{cite book |author-last=Vance |author-first=J.D. |author-link=JD Vance | title=Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis |publisher=HarperCollins Publishers |date=2016-06-28 |isbn=978-0-06-230054-6 |ref=none}}
Notes
{{notelist}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
{{Wikiquote|J.D. Vance}}
- {{C-SPAN|105171}}
{{CongLinks | congbio=V000137 | votesmart=201794 | fec=C00783142 | congress=j-vance/V000137}}
- {{URL|https://jdvance.com/|Campaign website}}
- {{OpenSecretsPeople}}
- {{LittleSisPeople}}
- {{URL|https://www.politifact.com/personalities/jd-vance/|J.D. Vance}} at PolitiFact
- {{Official website}}
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{{JD Vance}}
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Category:Businesspeople from Ohio
Category:Catholic politicians from Ohio
Category:Converts to Roman Catholicism from Evangelicalism
Category:Donald Trump 2024 presidential campaign
Category:Middletown High School (Ohio) alumni
Category:Military personnel from Ohio
Category:Ohio State University College of Arts and Sciences alumni
Category:People associated with the 2024 United States presidential election
Category:People from Middletown, Ohio
Category:Republican Party United States senators from Ohio
Category:Republican Party (United States) vice presidential nominees
Category:Republican Party vice presidents of the United States
Category:Right-wing populists in the United States
Category:Roman Catholic activists
Category:Second Trump administration cabinet members
Category:United States congressional aides
Category:United States Marine Corps non-commissioned officers
Category:United States Marine Corps personnel of the Iraq War