Vance, J. D. (1984-…), is an American politician. Vance, a member of the Republican Party, became a member of the United States Senate in 2023. In 2024, Republican presidential nominee Donald J. Trump chose Vance to be his vice presidential running mate in the presidential election.
James David Vance was born in Middletown, Ohio, on Aug. 2, 1984. He served in the United States Marine Corps from 2003 to 2007 and was deployed in Iraq during the Iraq War (2003-2011). Vance received a bachelor’s degree in political science and philosophy from Ohio State University in 2009. He earned a law degree from Yale Law School in 2013. He later worked as a corporate lawyer and as an executive and investor in the Silicon Valley region of California. Silicon Valley is one of the world’s leading centers for technological development.
Vance’s memoir Hillbilly Elegy was published in 2016 and appeared on many best-seller lists. The book describes Vance’s early struggles and journey to become a lawyer and successful corporate executive. Later in 2016, Vance returned to Ohio and founded a nonprofit organization called Our Ohio Renewal. The organization, established to address drug addiction and joblessness in the state, closed in 2021.
Vance announced a campaign for the Republican nomination for U.S. senator from Ohio in 2021. He won the nomination and defeated Democratic congressman Tim Ryan in the November 2022 election. As a senator, Vance held conservative positions on such issues as abortion, gun control, immigration, and foreign policy. He became known as a strong supporter of Israel’s military operations in the Gaza Strip and an opponent of aid for Ukraine in its war against Russia. In July 2024, Trump announced that Vance would be his running mate in the November election.
