A man who called Trump ‘America’s Hitler’ is now his running mate
- Michael Gold
- New York Times Jul 16, 2024, 14:09 IST IST
A political newcomer and former Trump critic turned ally, senator JD Vance is an ambitious ideologue who relishes the spotlight and has already shown he can energise donors
Former US President Donald Trump has chosen JD Vance to be his running mate, wagering that the young Ohio senator will bring fresh energy to the Republican ticket and ensure that the movement Trump began nearly a decade ago can live on after him.
Vance, 39, is a political newcomer who entered the Senate only last year, but he has spent that time methodically ascending the conservative firmament. Once an acerbic Trump critic — attacking Trump as “reprehensible” and calling him “cultural heroin” — he won Trump’s backing in his 2022 Senate race by wholly embracing his politics and his lies about a stolen election. The endorsement lifted him above a crowded field, and ultimately to the Senate.
Vance, 39, is a political newcomer who entered the Senate only last year, but he has spent that time methodically ascending the conservative firmament. Once an acerbic Trump critic — attacking Trump as “reprehensible” and calling him “cultural heroin” — he won Trump’s backing in his 2022 Senate race by wholly embracing his politics and his lies about a stolen election. The endorsement lifted him above a crowded field, and ultimately to the Senate.