Vance takes Senate seat in Ohio

Preliminary results show Republican J.D. Vance has secured the Ohio Senate seat with 53 percent of the votes, The Associated Press said late Tuesday. He will replace Republican U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, who announced his retirement last year. The state voted for former President Donald Trump in the past two elections.

Who is Vance? He is a 38-year-old venture capitalist who wrote the bestselling Hillbilly Elegy before entering politics. He won former President Donald Trump’s endorsement even after telling interviewers that he was in the “never Trump” camp in 2016. He said he has since changed his mind. He is a self-described Catholic. During his campaign, he leaned into Republican policy proposals on border security and competition with China. His opponent, incumbent U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, framed himself as a moderate Democrat, though Republicans have accused him of voting along party lines. During his campaign, he focused on creating more jobs and boosting the economy.

Dig deeper: Read Leah Savas’ report in Vitals on how pro-life organizations are doing after Dobbs, many of which are in Ohio.