Trump Nominates J.D Vance as His Running Mate During the RNC

Days after being the target of a foiled assassination attempt, Republican Presidential Candidate and former President Donald Trump has picked J.D Vance as his running mate. If all goes to plan, J.D Vance will become the next vice president of the United States.

Trump Vice President Pick: Trump Picks J.D Vance for Republican Vice Presidential Candidate During the RNC

Trump, unbowed by the recent assassination attempt against him, yesterday attended the Republican National Convention where he officially announced J.D Vance as his running mate.

Trump picked J.D. over North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum and Florida Senator Marco Rubio, both of whom were informed earlier yesterday that they were not his picks.

In the Truth Social post where he made the announcement, Trump said: “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 also said 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.” [Source: AP News] A few of these states will be key to Trump’s re-election.

Who is J.D Vance, Trump’s Running Mate and Vice Presidential Candidate for the Republican Party

James David Vance, alias J.D Vance, is the United States senator for Ohio. He is 39 years old and a staple in the conservative media scene. J.D. became nationally popular for his bestselling memoir ‘Hillbilly Elegy’ where he details life in Appalachian communities. Vance is also a family man, married to Usha Chilukuri with whom they share 3 kids: Mirabel, Vivek, and Ewan.

Vance was once a heated critic of Donald Trump, having been quoted once referring to him as “America’s Hitler”. Despite the murky past, Trump and J.D. have gotten close with Trump saying that he reminded him of a “young Abraham Lincoln”. As per AP News, the two speak on the phone regularly and conversed for about 20 minutes before Trump officially offered him the VP job on Truth Social.

Why Trump Picked J.D Vance as His Running Mate

Donald Trump is a very controversial figure. So much so that he needs a running mate who’ll withstand the vitriol and divisiveness of the current American political climate. Trump also needs someone who can reassure the nation that whatever happens to him, as he is now 78 years old, the nation will rest in good hands. That is not to say that Trump is not a strong, overarchingly stout, and brilliant man but old age gets many a man.

Trump also needs a fellow showman, a person who will play to the media just as well as he does. Vance has been known to get into heated conversations with newsmen and women in talk shows and this, Trump sees, is the kind of candidate he needs i.e., someone who’ll make a point and hammer it through. Furthermore, Trump seemingly hated how former VP Mike Pence was a man of few words. Instead, Trump would rather have a ‘talker’ backing him and his controversial policies and making news. It also doesn’t hurt for Trump to have someone who admires him as his VP.

The dude is just built different. pic.twitter.com/D2yzskFfyA

— J.D. Vance (@JDVance1) July 14, 2024

Making news almost every day and all the time is very crucial to Trump as it is the fuel that propels his ego. Trump wants and needs to be the talk of the country all the time and that’s why he’d always blow up his Twitter account with all manner of claims and statements during his presidency. As such, unlike Rubio and Burgum, Vance is just the man for the job as he can get his way around a controversial topic in front of a camera.

Ultimately, the why for Trump picking Vance is the feeling that he’ll energize his base. Trump supporters need someone who’ll ruffle Democrat feathers and stand their ground on policy matters. They need someone who’ll say just about anything that aligns with their worldview, despite how unconventional or deluded it may seem. They need a maverick in US politics and Vance, it seems, will do just that. He is not one to shy away from sticky issues such as immigration and in him, Trump sees someone who could take over and still ‘Make America Great Again’.

The Challenges Ahead for J.D Vance as Trump’s Running Mate

J.D. Vance is likely to face some challenges as the G.O.P Vice President nominee as he is largely untested in national politics. As per norms, the ‘Grand Old Party’ comes under heated criticism from the Democrats who have already started dissecting Vance’s suitability for the job.

President Biden’s campaign chair, Jen O’Malley Dillon had this to say about why Trump picked Vance: “Donald Trump picked J.D. Vance as his running mate because Vance 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.” [Source: AP News.]

Vance will also face overarching scrutiny both in his private and public life. Most running mates, as seen in the past, have had a hard time undergoing the increased media attention and scandal-hunting tendencies of the press.

Vance is also indebted to Trump as it was Trump’s endorsement that got him his senatorial position back in 2022. Therefore, he’ll have to step up and deal with the trials and tribulations of the national political stage and make a [home] run with it. If he does play his cards well, he may end up as GOP Presidential Candidate come 2028.