Former President Donald Trump put an end to months of guesswork Monday, cementing the distinct possibility the next vice president of the United States will be from Ohio.
Freshman Sen. J.D. Vance, a Republican born and raised in Middletown who graduated from Yale Law School and Ohio State University, will be on the Republican ticket in November as Trump's running mate.
Trump made the announcement just after 3 p.m. in a statement on Truth Social, writing it came “after lengthy deliberation and thought, and considering the tremendous talents of many others.”
In a state that’s no longer considered a political bellwether, GOP politicians and business leaders immediately began to celebrate the potential for renewed relevance on the national stage. In statements, Gov. Mike DeWine said Vance brings “new generational perspective” to the ticket, while Bernie Moreno—challenging Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown for his seat—described Vance as a “dynamic, visionary leader.”
Steve Stivers, Ohio Chamber of Commerce president and a former Congressman, said Vance is a rising star.
“We're very excited that there is an Ohioan in the conversation,” Stivers said in an interview. “The road to the White House has gone through Ohio for about a hundred years, and it looks like it's going through Ohio again this year, which is really exciting.”
In 2022, Trump's endorsement of the now-junior senator from Ohio enabled Vance, now 39, to emerge from a crowded primary field where he won the nomination and later the U.S. Senate seat vacated by former Sen. Rob Portman. He beat out former Rep. Tim Ryan, a Democrat from the Youngstown area.
Vance's memoir “Hillbilly Elegy” became something of a cultural touchstone during the 2016 election, particularly after Trump's election to the White House.
Vance was publicly critical of Trump then, but has become bulldoggish in his defense of the former president. When a 20-year-old gunman shot Trump at a rally in western Pennsylvania on Saturday, killing an attendee and injuring at least two others, Vance took to X—formerly Twitter—to decry the Democratic party's rhetoric.
Minutes after that shooting, Gov. Mike DeWine authorized additional security for Vance, according to a spokesperson.
If Trump and Vance win in November, DeWine will appoint a person to Vance's current position through 2026.
