On Politics

Mon Jul 15 2024

Sudiksha Kochi | Congress, Campaigns and Democracy Reporter

@KochiSudiksha

Hey OnPolitics readers! Donald Trump selected J.D. Vance on Monday to be his 2024 vice-presidential running mate, a pick that seeks to capitalize on the 39-year-old Ohio senator's youth and celebrity status among conservatives and who skyrocketed to fame as the author of "Hillbilly Elegy."

Vance "will be strongly focused on the people he fought so brilliantly for, the American Workers and Farmers in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Minnesota, and far beyond," Trump said in a Truth Social post after announcing his pick.

The decision comes after an assassination attempt just two days ago on the presumptive Republican 2024 nominee and months of speculation about who the former president would tap for the GOP ticket, USA TODAY staff reported.

❓Who is J.D. Vance? Vance was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2022 after defeating former Democratic Rep. Tim Ryan for an open seat in Ohio. He previously served in the Marines Corps.

Prep for the polls: See who is running for president and compare where they stand on key issues in our Voter Guide

🥊 Biden campaign slams Vance: Joe Biden's reelection campaign immediately slammed Vance after Trump announced his running mate pick, calling the Ohio senator an enabler of Trump's "extreme MAGA agenda." The campaign said in a statement that Vance was picked because he "will do what Mike Pence wouldn't on January 6: bend over backwards to enable Trump and his extreme MAGA agenda, even if it means breaking the law and no matter the harm to the American people."

Prep for the polls: See who is running for president and compare where they stand on key issues in our Voter Guide