Who is J.D. Vance? A look into Donald Trump's newest running mate

J.D. Vance named as Republican VP nominee

Ohio Senator J.D. Vance will be Trump's running mate in the 2024 presidential election.

Who is J.D. Vance?

From "I’m a never Trump guy" to being named the vice presidential nominee of the Republican Party, J.D. Vance is set to be Donald Trump’s running mate in the 2024 Presidential Election.

The Ohio senator wasn’t always a fan of the former president, stating multiple times that he did not support Trump during his initial campaign in 2016. Eight years later, Vance switched course and became one of Trump's biggest supporters, leading him to the biggest moment in his political career.

James Donald Vance was born in Middletown, Ohio, to Donald Bowman and Beverly Vance. Shortly after his birth, Vance’s parents divorced. Growing up in Ohio, Vance’s family struggled financially, and his mom dealt with addiction problems that ultimately led to him being raised by his grandparents, James and Bonnie Vance.

After graduating from high school, Vance enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps. In a 2016 TED Talk, Vance described the Marine Corps as a "four-year crash course in character education," where he learned to become an adult.

After completing his time in the Marine Corps, he enrolled at Ohio State University and graduated with a degree in philosophy in 2009. He later attended law school at Yale University and graduated with a Juris Doctor in 2013.

In 2016, Vance wrote about his struggles growing up poor in Ohio and making it to Yale Law School in a memoir named Hillbilly Elegy. The book went on to become a New York Times bestseller and helped catapult Vance to fame. A film adaptation of the book directed by Ron Howard released on Netflix in 2020.

Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, speaks at East Palestine Fire Department during a visit to East Palestine, Ohio, following the Feb. 3 Norfolk Southern freight train derailment on Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023, in East Palestine, Ohio. (Photo by Jabin Botsford/Th

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Before his 2022 campaign, Vance was involved in the venture capitalist industry, co-founding the venture capital firm Narya Capital.

Vance ventured into the political world when he launched his campaign for Ohio senator in 2021. This is where his anti-Trump stance shifted, soon after realizing Trump had supported his proposed policies. Vance eventually started gaining support from Trump’s campaign for his stance on issues like the war in Ukraine and immigration.

Vance has become a representative of the new Republican image built by Trump since taking office. He is seen as an extension of what the MAGA agenda plans to be post-Trump.

For now, Vance will lead alongside Trump as they try to win the presidential election in November.