Trump picks Sen. J.D. Vance as running mate

Former President Donald Trump on Monday picked Vance, R-Ohio, to join his 2024 election bid. The decision came after long deliberations over who would make the best vice president of the United States, Trump said in a social media statement.

Who is Vance? Possibly best known for his bestselling memoir Hillbilly Elegy, Vance served in the Marine Corps before graduating from Yale Law School, Trump said. He was elected to the Senate in 2022. The former president added that Vance would work as vice president to support the interests of people from rural communities like the one he grew up in.

What did delegates at the RNC have to say about Vance? One delegate from Louisiana told WORLD he thought Vance would make a great vice president. He acknowledged that Vance used to rank among Trump’s critics, but said people could change their minds. Another delegate from California told WORLD he liked Vance’s advocacy for some values and policies similar to those held by former Vice President Mike Pence. Pro-life advocate Lila Rose on social media criticized Vance’s appointment. Both Vance and Trump supported the legalization of abortion pills, she said. American voters were facing a decision between two pro-abortion presidential tickets, she said.

Dig deeper: Read Carolina Lumetta’s previous coverage in The Stew about the shortlist of vice president candidates Trump had mulled before picking Vance.