Who is JD Vance? Discover one of the top eight contenders for Trump’s VP shortlist
Senator J.D. Vance, originally a critic of Donald Trump, has evolved into one of his staunchest allies and a notable endorsement success story, especially during a challenging period for other Republicans nationwide. Despite his political inexperience, Vance is swiftly becoming a prominent figure in the Republican Party under Trump’s influence. Before completing his first term in the U.S. Senate, there is potential for Vance to collaborate directly with Trump in the White House.
Vance was born on August 2, 1986, in Middletown, Ohio, and currently resides in Cincinnati. His academic journey includes a bachelor’s degree in political science and philosophy from Ohio State University and a law degree from Yale Law School. After high school, Vance served four years in the U.S. Marines.
In 2019, Vance embraced Catholicism after exploring his faith during his law school years, moving away from his earlier atheism. His personal life includes a marriage to Usha Chilukuri Vance since 2014, and they have three children. Professionally, before entering Congress, Vance worked as a venture capitalist and later founded his own venture firm in Ohio.
Vance’s literary contributions include his acclaimed 2016 memoir “Hillbilly Elegy,” which reflects on his upbringing and broader social issues in Ohio and Kentucky. Politically, Vance adopts an “America First” stance, particularly evident in his opposition to additional U.S. aid to Ukraine and his focus on addressing the crisis at the U.S. southern border. His net worth is estimated at around $7 million.
Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) went from being a fierce critic of former President Donald Trump to one of his most loyal supporters and an endorsement success story in a cycle where Republicans struggled across the country.
Despite his inexperience in politics, Vance has shot up the roster of Republicans who have a bright future in the party with Trump at the helm. Before he finishes his first term in the Senate, he could find himself working with Trump in the White House.
Age
J.D. Vance was born on Aug. 2, 1984. He is 39 years old.
Hometown
Vance currently lives in Cincinnati, according to his profile on X. He was born and raised in Middletown, Ohio, a city of more than 50,000 people located about 30 miles outside of Cincinnati.
Education
Vance graduated from Middletown High School in 2003. After serving in the U.S. Marines for four years, he earned his bachelor’s degree in political science and philosophy from the Ohio State University in 2009 and graduated from Yale Law School in 2013.
State represented
Vance has represented Ohio in the U.S. Senate since 2023.
Religion
Vance became a baptized Catholic in 2019.
He “was raised Christian, but never had a super strong attachment to any denomination,” Vance said in an interview with the American Conservative.
“When I started law school in 2010, I would have called myself an atheist,” he said in an interview with the Coastal Courier. “When I graduated law school in 2013, I was exploring my faith again.”
“I became persuaded over time that Catholicism was true,” he said.
Net worth
Sources have estimated Vance’s net worth to be around $7 million.
Family
Vance has been married to Usha Chilukuri Vance, his former classmate at Yale, since 2014. They have three children: Ewan, Vivek, and Mirabel.
Occupation before Congress
Vance began his career as a venture capitalist at Mithril Capital, a San Francisco firm founded by billionaire entrepreneur Peter Thiel. He was later managing partner of Rise of the Rest Seed Fund, which invests in startups outside of coastal cities, and started his own Ohio-based venture capital firm, Narya Capital, in 2019.
Books written
In 2016, Vance published Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis, a bestselling autobiographical account of his experience growing up in Ohio to a family from eastern Kentucky. The book shot him to national fame.
Major policy positions
Vance takes a self-described “America First” position on foreign policy and spoke out in April against sending additional aid to Ukraine.
He lists solving the crisis at the southern border as one of his top priorities, and last year introduced a bill that would require visa recipients to pay between $5,000 and $15,000 before entering the U.S. — money they would get back upon leaving the U.S. in accordance with the terms of their visa.
Relationship with Trump
Vance was a critic of former President Donald Trump ahead of the 2016 election, calling him “noxious” and “reprehensible” and describing himself as a “Never Trump guy.”
He has since said that he regrets his past comments.
“I ask folks not to judge me based on what I said in 2016 because I’ve been very open that I did say those critical things and I regret them, and I regret being wrong about the guy,” Vance said in a 2021 interview with Fox News.
Vance secured Trump’s endorsement in Ohio’s 2022 Republican Senate primary.
Has he run for president?
Vance has not run for president.
Comments on potential VP selection
Vance has said he would be Trump’s running mate if asked but wouldn’t lobby for the position.
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“I’m very interested in helping [Trump] out, whatever that looks like. So, if that means I’m helping out the people of Ohio with the Trump agenda in the Senate, that’s great. If he asks me to serve, I will certainly do it,” the senator said in an interview with Fox News.
“My attitude towards it is, if it comes to me, great, but it’s not something I’m going to lobby for. I don’t think that’s the right attitude to take towards it.”
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