J.D. Vance offers Trump a fresh face with a MAGA profile
Summary
The Ohio senator has appeal in “Blue Wall” states but might not expand support for the party among suburban women and swing voters.MILWAUKEE—In selecting his new apprentice, Donald Trump picked a familiar figure within his populist, right-wing base who brings a fresh face to an election featuring two older men.
J.D. Vance, a millennial junior senator from Ohio who gained fame for his “Hillbilly Elegy" memoir about small-town America, offers Trump a natural successor to his MAGA movement. At 39 years old, he is roughly half the age of Trump and President Biden alike.
Trump, the former star of “The Apprentice" reality-television show, kept his choice closely held until Monday afternoon as delegates from across the nation were gathered for the first day of the Republican National Convention.
The contest between Biden, 81, and Trump, 78, has been dominated by questions about age—especially Biden’s—and Vance would be one of the youngest vice presidents in history if elected.
Vance might not help Trump broaden his coalition much because his aggressive rhetorical style and policy profile echo the former president’s, but he could help in the Great Lakes states of Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania that look increasingly critical to the outcome in November.
“We all know the election comes down to the voters in the Blue Wall," said Dennis Darnoi, a Michigan-based Republican strategist, referring to the three northern states that tended to go Democratic before Trump’s appearance on the national stage.
“He’s energetic," Darnoi said of Vance. “It’s the visual. It’s this guy running from state to state, this young conservative."
Vivek Ramaswamy, who challenged Trump for the 2024 nomination and is a longtime friend and former classmate of Vance’s, praised the selection.
“He’s a good man, an original thinker, and has clear-eyed principles," Ramaswamy said. “He will be an outstanding vice president. I’m very proud of him and never imagined we’d be here when we were watching football at a bar 10 years ago."
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican, said, “Trump made a very wise pick in getting somebody who is significantly younger; clearly the next generation."
Vance has shown a talent for articulating the tenets of Trumpism, but with more discipline than the original author. Both favor tighter borders, tariffs, government intervention in the economy and a retreat from the world stage, while placing less emphasis on the GOP’s tradition of supporting free trade and fiscal discipline.
In a call with reporters, the Biden campaign characterized Trump’s selection of Vance as more of the same from Trump. “Clearly, Vance won Trump’s veepstakes by passing his MAGA litmus test with flying colors," said Jen O’Malley Dillon, the campaign’s chair.
Trump’s selection comes after Biden’s age has come under extreme scrutiny since a June 27 debate that showed him struggling to answer questions, losing his train of thought and at times staring off into space. Since then, some Democratic lawmakers have openly called on him to exit from the race, saying he can’t win or serve another four years. Biden has resisted those pleas.
Democrats have many younger governors and lawmakers who chose not to challenge Biden this year but could seek the 2028 nomination. They include Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, age 52; California Gov. Gavin Newsom, 56; Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, 45; and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, 51. Vice President Kamala Harris, 59, is also seen as a future contender.
Vance is younger than all of those Democrats. Harris said she hopes to meet him in a vice-presidential debate proposed by CBS News. The network has suggested either July 23 or Aug. 13.
Democrats said they were excited about that potential debate—a moment that would also serve as a preview of a possible 2028 matchup. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D., Mass.), who serves with Vance in the Senate, said Harris “will take it to J.D. Vance."
Jacob Rubashkin, the deputy editor of Inside Elections, said on X that Trump’s selection of Vance “projects confidence." While North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum “would have provided money and moderate temperament" and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio is a nod to shifting demographics within the party, “Vance doesn’t offer any of that or electoral strength," Rubashkin wrote. “What he does offer is a natural successor."
It also isn’t clear whether Vance will help Trump address an electoral weakness by appealing to suburban women, a critical swing group in battleground states.
Abortion is expected to be a key issue with women. Vance says he is opposed to abortion, but in December on CNN he said he supports exceptions “for the life of the mother, for rape, and so forth."
Darnoi said he doesn’t think Vance pushes suburban women away, but he might not bring them in either. “I don’t think it moves the needle away from Republicans," he said.
Siobhan Hughes and Ken Thomas contributed to this article.
Write to Catherine Lucey at catherine.lucey@wsj.com and John McCormick at mccormick.john@wsj.com
