Trump Picks Political Neophyte J.D. Vance as Vice President

The Ohio Republican was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2022

Republican Sen. J. D. Vance of Ohio speaking with attendees at the 2021 Southwest Regional Conference hosted by Turning Point USA at the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix, Arizona. Photo credit: Photo credit: Gage Skidmore from Surprise, Ariz., United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

MILWAUKEE — Donald Trump officially named freshman Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio as his 2024 running mate on Monday, promoting a one-time critic to his second in command.

“After lengthy deliberation and thought, and considering the tremendous talents of many others, I have decided that the person best suited to assume the position of Vice President of the United States is Senator J.D. Vance of the Great State of Ohio,” the presumptive 2024 GOP nominee announced on social media.

Vance, who got to Congress by beating Democratic Rep. Tim Ryan in a $200 million race to fill the Senate seat vacated by retiring Republican Sen. Rob Portman last cycle, was not a MAGA fan during Trump's first presidential bid — dubbing the former real estate developer "an idiot" and describing himself as a "Never Trump guy” in 2016.