Former President Donald Trump announced Ohio Senator J.D. Vance as his running mate for the upcoming U.S. presidential election. Once a vocal critic of Trump, Vance has become a staunch ally, marking a significant turnaround in their political relationship. Trump made the announcement via his social media platform, Truth Social, during a Republican Party convention in Milwaukee. Born James David Bowman in 1984 in Middletown, Ohio, Vance’s upbringing in the struggling Appalachian coal country shaped his perspective. After serving in the Marines and earning degrees from Ohio University and Yale Law School, Vance gained national attention with his memoir “Hillbilly Elegy.” Following a career in biotech in California, Vance returned to Ohio, establishing a venture capital firm with backing from PayPal’s Peter Thiel. Despite initial criticisms of Trump, Vance pivoted his stance, securing Trump’s endorsement during his successful Senate campaign in 2022.
