(The Center Square) – Former President Donald Trump picked U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, to serve as his vice president should Trump beat President Joe Biden this November for another term in the White House.
Trump revealed his choice on Truth Social in a statement.
“After lengthy deliberation and thought, and considering the tremendous talents of many others, I have decided that the person best suited to assume the position of Vice President of the United States is Senator J.D. Vance of the Great State of Ohio,” Trump said in his post. “As Vice President, J.D. will continue to fight for our Constitution, stand with our Troops, and will do everything he can to help me MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN.”
Vance, 39, got immediate praise from fellow Republicans once it became clear he got the posting.
“J.D. is a father, military veteran, best-selling author, and has served Ohio well as our U.S. Senator,” Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said in a statement. “J.D. will also bring a new generational perspective to the ticket.”
Former GOP primary candidate for president Vivek Ramaswamy told The Center Square’s Greg Bishop that Vance was an excellent pick.
“I’ve known J.D. for a long time. We were lawsuit classmates,” he told Bishop from the convention hall. “He’s a real person.”
Ramaswamy and Vance attended Yale together.
Asked if he thinks Vance will be a check on the establishment in Washington, Ramaswamy responded: “Oh yeah,” continuing, “he’s also an original thinker. And I think we need more original thinkers in D.C.
Vance was considered a frontrunner for the job along with a shortlist of others.
Born in Middletown, Ohio, Vance can related] to “the many Americans who are struggling right now to make ends meet,” DeWine said.
Vance was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2022 and sworn into office in January 2023. He previously was an outspoken critic of Trump, but said he later changed his opinion after seeing Trump’s successes.
Before that, Vance served in the military during the Iraq War. He went on to graduate from The Ohio State University and, later, Yale Law School.
North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, who was on Trump’s vice presidential shortlist, called Vance “a powerful voice for the America First Agenda” in a social media statement.
“.@realdonaldtrump is the strongest leader to enter the political arena in modern American history!” Burgum wrote on X. “Today he selected @JdVance1 as his running mate, whose small town roots and service to country make him a powerful voice for the America First Agenda. I look forward to campaigning for the Trump-Vance ticket to Make America Great Again!“
