Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump appears with vice presidential candidate JD Vance, R-Ohio, during the Republican National Convention, Monday, July 15, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson)
Former President Donald Trump chose Sen. JD Vance of Ohio as his running mate on Monday, selecting a former critic turned loyal ally.
The 39-year-old Vance, who gained national fame with his 2016 memoir “Hillbilly Elegy,” was elected to the Senate in 2022 and has become a strong advocate for Trump’s “Make America Great Again” agenda.
Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump and Republican vice presidential candidate Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, attend the first day of the Republican National Convention, Monday, July 15, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Despite his support, Vance remains largely untested in national politics. He joins the ticket during a tumultuous time following an attempted assassination of Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, which has heightened awareness of the nation’s divisive political climate.
Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump appears with vice presidential candidate JD Vance, R-Ohio, during the Republican National Convention, Monday, July 15, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson)
Jaime Harrison, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, said Mr. Vance had “championed and enabled Trump’s worst policies for years — from a national abortion ban, to whitewashing Jan. 6, to railing against Social Security and Medicare.”
Clay Cane is an award-winning journalist, writer, radio host, and political commentator. A graduate of Rutgers University with a degree in African-American Studies, his work on race, culture, and politics have appeared in national publications, including the Washington Post, CNN, and The Grio. Clay is a regular political commentator on MSNBC.
