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J. D. Vance

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J. D. Vance
Official portrait, 2023
United States Senator
from Ohio
Assumed office
January 3, 2023
Serving with Sherrod Brown
Preceded byRob Portman
Personal details
Born
James Donald Bowman

(1984-08-02) August 2, 1984 (age 39)
Middletown, Ohio, U.S.
Other namesJames Hamel Vance
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)
​
(m. 2014)​
Children3
EducationOhio State University (BA)
Yale University (JD)
Signature
WebsiteSenate website
Military service
Branch/service United States Marine Corps
Years of service2003–2007
RankCorporal
Unit2nd Marine Aircraft Wing
Battles/warsIraq War
J. D. Vance's voice
J. D. Vance questions witnesses on the effectiveness of Russian sanctions
Recorded February 28, 2023

James David Vance (born James Donald Bowman;[1] August 2, 1984) is an American Republican politician, venture capitalist and author, who has been the junior United States Senator from Ohio since 2023. Vance is the Republican vice presidential nominee in the 2024 election.

Before entering politics, Vance was a venture capitalist and writer. He wrote his memoir Hillbilly Elegy in 2016, which became popular during the 2016 election. In January 2017, Vance became a CNN contributor.[2]

Vance beat Democratic nominee Tim Ryan in the 2022 United States Senate election in Ohio. At first, he was against Trump's candidacy in the 2016 election, Vance has since become a strong supporter of Donald Trump. In July 2024, Trump officially nominated Vance as his running mate at the Republican National Convention.

Early life[change | change source]

Vance was born on August 2, 1984, in Middletown, Ohio, to Donald Bowman and Beverly (née Vance).[3][4] Vance's mother and father divorced when Vance was a toddler. Shortly afterward, he was adopted by his mother's third husband.[1]

Vance and his sister Lindsey were raised mainly by his grandparents, James and Bonnie (née Blanton) Vance.[5][6][7] J. D. later went by the name James Hamel, his stepfather's surname, until adopting his grandparents' surname, Vance.[8]

Vance went to Middletown High School.[9] After graduating, he joined the U.S. Marine Corps and served as a combat correspondent (military journalist)[10] in the Iraq War.[11][12][13] Vance later attended the Ohio State University, graduating in 2009 with a Bachelor of Arts degree summa cum laude in political science and philosophy.[14][15]

After graduating from Ohio State, Vance went to Yale Law School.[16] Vance graduated from Yale in 2013 with a Juris Doctor.

Writing and business career[change | change source]

Vance moved to San Francisco to work in the tech industry as a venture capitalist.[17] He was a principal at Peter Thiel's firm, Mithril Capital, between 2016 and 2017.[18][19]

In 2016, Vance's book, Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis, was published. It was on The New York Times Best Seller list in 2016 and 2017. It was a finalist for the 2017 Dayton Literary Peace Prize[20] and winner of the 2017 Audie Award for Nonfiction. The New York Times called it "one of the six best books to help understand Trump's win". Vance was criticized from some Eastern Kentuckians who said he was "not a hillbilly",[21] while others supported him.[22]

During the 2016 presidential election, Vance was a well known critic of Republican nominee Donald Trump. In a February 2016 USA Today column, he wrote that "Trump's actual policy proposals, such as they are, range from immoral to absurd."[23] In the Atlantic and on the PBS show hosted by Charlie Rose,[24] Vance called Trump "cultural heroin".[25] In October 2016, he called himself a "never-Trump guy."[26] In a private message on Facebook he called Trump "America's Hitler".[27]

In December 2016, Vance said he wanted to move to Ohio and would think about starting a nonprofit or running for office.[28]

In January 2017, Vance became a CNN contributor.[29] In April 2017, Ron Howard signed on to direct a movie version of Hillbilly Elegy, which Netflix released in 2020.[30]

In 2019, Vance co-founded Narya Capital in Cincinnati.[31] In 2020, he raised $93 million for the firm.[32]

Who is JD Vance?[change | change source]

Vance is anticipated to emphasize his background growing up in poverty in Kentucky and Ohio, with a mother struggling with addiction and an absent father, before rising to prominence in US politics. This narrative aims to resonate with voters in middle America and illustrate how Vance's early life influenced his stance on various issues like immigration, inflation, and drugs, as per a source familiar with the speech. Despite being an Ivy League graduate and entrepreneur, Vance's book "Hillbilly Elegy" delves into his working-class origins, earning him national recognition upon its release in 2016. Regarded as a glimpse into the societal factors that boosted Trump to victory in the same year, the book established Vance as a figure capable of elucidating the appeal of the unconventional New York businessman in middle America.

"Hillbilly Elegy" connected Vance with the Trump family, particularly Donald Trump Jr., who was a fan of the book. This led to a friendship between the two, with Vance later establishing an anti-opioid charity in Ohio. Vance's public appearances and connections with the Republican Party set the stage for his venture into politics in 2021. With Trump's endorsement, Vance won the Senate seat previously held by Rob Portman, positioning him as a potential leader in reshaping the Republican Party. As the first millennial on a major party ticket, Vance's candidacy addresses concerns about the age of current political figures. JD and Usha Vance reside in Cincinnati with their three children: Ewan, Vivek, and Mirabel.

U.S. Senate[change | change source]

Vance in May 2023

In July 2021, Vance announced his candidacy for the United States Senate in the 2022 election to replace retiring U.S. Senator Rob Portman.[33] In April 2022, former President Donald Trump announced his support for Vance.[34] He won the Republican nomination in May 2022.[35] In November 2022, he was elected U.S. Senator after defeating U.S. Representative Tim Ryan in the general election. Vance was the only candidate in the seven statewide general election races funded by former President Trump's PAC to win.[36] He was sworn-in on January 3, 2023.

In the Senate, Vance has been seen as a supporter of economic populism.[37] On social issues, Vance supported the overturning of Roe v. Wade and is against abortion rights even in cases of rape or incest, but supports exceptions when a mother's life is in danger.[38] On foreign policy, Vance has been against U.S. military aid for Ukraine.[39] Vance is a strong supporter of U.S. support for Israel amid the Israel–Hamas war.[40]

On February 26, 2023, Vance wrote an opinion piece in The Washington Post supporting parts of PPP style funds to those affected by the East Palestine train derailment, which some Republican senators criticized.[41][42] On March 1, 2023, Vance, Brown, and Senators John Fetterman, Bob Casey, Josh Hawley, and Marco Rubio proposed bipartisan legislation to prevent derailments like the one in East Palestine, Ohio.[43][44][45]

Vance was among the 31 Senate Republicans who voted against final passage of the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023.[46]

In 2023, Vance introduced a bill that would make English the official language of the United States.[47][48]

Vance was against the Respect for Marriage Act[49][50] and has said, "I believe that marriage is between one man and one woman, but I don't think the gay marriage issue is alive right now. I'm not one of these guys who's looking to try to take people's families and rip them apart."[51]

JD Vance Net Worth 2024 (By Forbes)

Net Worth $18 Million
Salary $174,000
Inheritance $100,000
Other Income $2 Million
Wife Usha Chilukuri

2024 vice presidential campaign[change | change source]

The Trump-Vance 2024 campaign logo
See the main article: Donald Trump 2024 presidential campaign

In July 2024, former President Donald Trump picked Vance to be his running mate in the 2024 presidential election.[52][53][54] He is the the first millennial to be on a presidential ticket of a major party in the United States.[52][53][54]

Vance is the first Ohioan to appear in a major party presidential ticket since John Bricker (who was Thomas Dewey's running mate in 1944), the first person to have facial hair since Dewey himself in his 1948 upset loss as presidential nominee, and the first combat veteran since John McCain in 2008, all of which were Republican politicians.[55] If elected, he will be the first Ohio native to be elected to the vice presidency since Charles Dawes in 1924, the first to have facial hair since Charles Curtis in 1928 —both of which were also Republicans– and the first combat veteran since Democrat Al Gore in 1992.[56][57][55]

Personal life[change | change source]

Vance married his former law school classmate, Usha Chilukuri, in 2014. They have three children.[58] During the mid-2010s, Vance and his wife lived in San Francisco.[59]

Works[change | change source]

  • Vance, J. D. (June 2016). Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis. Harper. ISBN 978-0-06230054-6.

References[change | change source]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis". ENotes. Archived from the original on October 28, 2018. Retrieved May 10, 2017.
  2. ↑ Katz, A. J. (January 17, 2017). "CNN Strengthens its Roster of Commentators and Contributors". AdWeek. Retrieved April 27, 2017.
  3. ↑ Rothman, Joshua (September 12, 2016). "The Lives of Poor White People". The New Yorker. Archived from the original on January 2, 2021. Retrieved March 6, 2017.
  4. ↑ Kroeger, Alix (April 18, 2021). "JD Vance: Trump whisperer turned Senate hopeful". BBC News. Archived from the original on May 12, 2021. Retrieved May 12, 2021.
  5. ↑ Kunzru, Hari (December 7, 2016). "Hillbilly Elegy by JD Vance review – does this memoir really explain Trump's victory?". The Guardian. Archived from the original on April 20, 2021. Retrieved October 25, 2017.
  6. ↑ "'Hillbilly Elegy' Recalls A Childhood Where Poverty Was 'The Family Tradition'". NPR. August 17, 2016. Archived from the original on April 9, 2021. Retrieved April 5, 2018.
  7. ↑ Meibers, Bonnie (November 15, 2020). "'Hillbilly Elegy' is my family's story. I'm happy it shared my Mamaw with the world". Journal-News. Archived from the original on May 12, 2021. Retrieved May 12, 2021.
  8. ↑ Sewell, Dan (April 16, 2021). "'Hillbilly' to Capitol Hill? Author eyes Senate bid in Ohio". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Archived from the original on September 24, 2021. Retrieved May 12, 2021.
  9. ↑ Clark, Michael D. (March 10, 2017). "Middletown native J.D. Vance's book started with simple question". Journal-News. Archived from the original on December 2, 2020. Retrieved May 10, 2017.
  10. ↑ Team, The Presidential Prayer (September 14, 2023). "J.D. Vance, U.S. Senator from Ohio – The Presidential Prayer Team". Archived from the original on July 13, 2024. Retrieved July 13, 2024.
  11. ↑ Gabriel, Trip (May 4, 2022). "J.D. Vance's Rise From 'Hillbilly Elegy' Author to Senate Nominee". The New York Times. Archived from the original on April 29, 2024. Retrieved April 29, 2024.
  12. ↑ Richter, Ed (April 11, 2017). "Ron Howard to make movie on Middletown grad's 'Hillbilly Elegy'". Journal-News. Archived from the original on September 27, 2022. Retrieved September 27, 2022.
  13. ↑ Stilwell, Blake (October 20, 2020). "Read a Marine Corps PAO Story by 'Hillbilly Elegy' Author JD Vance". Military.com. Archived from the original on May 12, 2021. Retrieved May 12, 2021.
  14. ↑ "J. D. Vance, Visiting Fellow". American Enterprise Institute. Archived from the original on November 13, 2020. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
  15. ↑ "J.D. Vance to Speak About Memoir Hillbilly Elegy Feb. 2". Yale Law School. January 27, 2017. Archived from the original on October 14, 2020. Retrieved May 10, 2017.
  16. ↑ Kitchener, Caroline (June 7, 2016). "How the 'Tiger Mom' Convinced the Author of Hillbilly Elegy to Write His Story". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on April 13, 2021. Retrieved October 25, 2017.
  17. ↑ "J.D. Vance | Biography, Politics, Family, & Hillbilly Elegy | Britannica". www.britannica.com. July 11, 2024. Archived from the original on July 13, 2024. Retrieved July 14, 2024.
  18. ↑ McBride, Sarah (January 20, 2017). "Peter Thiel's Mithril Capital Raises $850 Million VC Fund". Bloomberg Technology. Archived from the original on May 6, 2021. Retrieved May 10, 2017.
  19. ↑ Morris, Adam Wren, Meghan. "'Hillbilly Elegy' author JD Vance is running for Senate as a savior of the Rust Belt. Insiders and experts say that reputation is unearned". Business Insider. Archived from the original on March 25, 2024. Retrieved July 13, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  20. ↑ "Dayton Literary Peace Prize - Press Release Announcing the 2017 Finalists for Fiction and Nonfiction Awards" (Press release). Dayton Literary Peace Prize. September 7, 2017. Archived from the original on September 27, 2021. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
  21. ↑ Kiser, Brandon. "Author too removed from culture he criticizes". Lexington Herald-Leader. Retrieved March 6, 2017.
  22. ↑ Miles, StefanieRose. "Author J.D. Vance does have hillbilly cred — like it or not". Lexington Herald Leader. Retrieved March 6, 2017.
  23. ↑ Vance, J. D. (February 18, 2016). "Trump speaks for those Bush betrayed: Column". USA Today. Archived from the original on July 10, 2021. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  24. ↑ "Author Appearances: J. D. Vance". Charlie Rose. Archived from the original on July 15, 2024. Retrieved April 28, 2024.
  25. ↑ Voght, Kara (November 9, 2022). "J.D. Vance Kissed Trump's Ass Just Enough to Make It to the Senate". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on April 28, 2024. Retrieved April 28, 2024.
  26. ↑ Jill, Colvin; Smyth, Julie Carr (April 15, 2022). "Trump backs GOP's JD Vance in US Senate primary in Ohio". ABC News. ABC. Associated Press. Archived from the original on April 16, 2022. Retrieved April 17, 2022.
  27. ↑ Jacobs, Ben (April 22, 2022). "J.D. Vance on His MAGA Conversion". Intelligencer. Archived from the original on May 20, 2024. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  28. ↑ Hohmann, James (December 21, 2016). "The Daily 202: Why the author of 'Hillbilly Elegy' is moving home to Ohio". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on February 27, 2021. Retrieved March 6, 2017.
  29. ↑ Katz, A. J. (January 17, 2017). "CNN Strengthens its Roster of Commentators and Contributors". AdWeek. Archived from the original on April 8, 2021. Retrieved April 27, 2017.
  30. ↑ Reed, Ryan (April 10, 2017). "Ron Howard to Direct, Produce 'Hillbilly Elegy' Movie". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on November 22, 2017. Retrieved April 12, 2017.
  31. ↑ Vermillion, Stephanie (February 16, 2020). "J.D. Vance's New Cincinnati-based VC Firm Excites Local Startup Leaders". Cincy Inno. Archived from the original on December 13, 2020. Retrieved April 13, 2021.
  32. ↑ Loizos, Connie (January 9, 2019). "'Hillbilly Elegy' author J.D. Vance has raised $93 million for his own Midwestern venture fund". TechCrunch. Archived from the original on April 16, 2021. Retrieved January 15, 2020.
  33. ↑ Arkin, James (July 1, 2021). "J.D. Vance joins already chaotic Ohio Senate primary". Politico.
  34. ↑ JILL, COLVIN; SMYTH, JULIE CARR. "Trump backs GOP's JD Vance in US Senate primary in Ohio". abcnews.go.com. ABC. Retrieved 17 April 2022.
  35. ↑ Linton, Caroline; Brewster, Adam; Navarro, Aaron. "Ohio primary results: Trump-backed J.D. Vance wins Republican Senate race". CBS News. Retrieved May 4, 2022.
  36. ↑ Bender, Michael C. (2022-12-07). "The key statistics about Trump's endorsement track record this year". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-12-07.
  37. ↑ Douthat, Ross (2024-06-13). "Opinion | What J.D. Vance Believes". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  38. ↑ Nagourney, Adam (2024-07-15). "J.D. Vance on the Issues, From Abortion to the Middle East". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on July 15, 2024. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  39. ↑ Nagourney, Adam (2024-07-15). "J.D. Vance on the Issues, From Abortion to the Middle East". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on July 15, 2024. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  40. ↑ Kelly, Laura (2024-07-15). "Where JD Vance stands on Ukraine, Israel and China". The Hill. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  41. ↑ Vance, J. D. "Opinion A PPP plan for East Palestine". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on February 28, 2023. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
  42. ↑ Weaver, Al (March 2023). "Vance pitches PPP for Ohio while other Republicans say to wait". WKBN. Archived from the original on March 2, 2023. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
  43. ↑ Vance, J. D. (March 2023). "Senators Vance, Brown to Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Prevent Train Derailment Disasters". senate.gov. Archived from the original on March 1, 2023. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
  44. ↑ Carr Smyth, Julie (March 2023). "Ohio Senators J.D. Vance, Sherrod brown co-sponsor rail safety bill after fiery derailment in East Palestine". WCPO. Archived from the original on March 2, 2023. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
  45. ↑ Everett, Burgess (March 2, 2023). "How J.D. Vance made Dem friends on rail safety". Politico. Archived from the original on March 2, 2023. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
  46. ↑ Folley, Aris (June 1, 2023). "Here are the senators who voted against the bill to raise the debt ceiling". The Hill. Archived from the original on June 18, 2023. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  47. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on June 25, 2024. Retrieved June 25, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  48. ↑ "U.S. Sen. JD Vance wants to declare English the U.S. Official language". March 30, 2023. Archived from the original on June 25, 2024. Retrieved June 25, 2024.
  49. ↑ "Ohio Senate Race: J.D. Vance Focuses on Conservative Family Issues". The Cincinnati Enquirer. August 25, 2022. Retrieved September 27, 2022. He's against same-sex marriage and said he would not support federal legislation to codify marriage equality...
  50. ↑ BeMiller, Haley (August 2, 2022). "Ohio Senate candidate J.D. Vance opposes bill to protect gay, interracial marriage rights". The Columbus Dispatch. Archived from the original on September 26, 2022. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
  51. ↑ BeMiller, Haley (July 11, 2022). "Ohio Senate race: Where JD Vance, Tim Ryan stand on abortion". The Columbus Dispatch. Archived from the original on July 11, 2022. Retrieved September 28, 2022.
  52. ↑ 52.0 52.1 "Ohio Sen. JD Vance announced as Donald Trump's 2024 vice presidential running mate". USA Today.
  53. ↑ 53.0 53.1 CNN Staff. "Trump picks Sen. JD Vance as his running mate". CNN. Retrieved 15 July 2024. {{cite web}}: |last1= has generic name (help)
  54. ↑ 54.0 54.1 Astor, Maggie (2024-07-15). "What to Know About J.D. Vance, Trump's Running Mate". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  55. ↑ 55.0 55.1 White, Matt (2024-07-15). "J.D. Vance is first veteran on Presidential ticket since John McCain". Task & Purpose. Retrieved 2024-07-16.
  56. ↑ "JD Vance would be first Ohio resident to be vice president, is first in 80 years on ticket". Dispatch.com. July 15, 2024. Retrieved July 15, 2024.
  57. ↑ "JD Vance Breaks the 'Beard Barrier'". Newsweek.com. July 15, 2024. Retrieved July 15, 2024.
  58. ↑ Joseph Bernstein; Katherine Rosman (November 3, 2022). "From Yale to Newsmax, Usha Vance Has Helped J.D. Vance Chart His Path". The New York Times. Archived from the original on July 15, 2024. Retrieved July 15, 2024.
  59. ↑ Vance, J. D. (July 4, 2016). "Opioid of the Masses". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on July 28, 2022. Retrieved July 19, 2022.

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