He names Ohio senator JD Vance as his running mate – El Financiero

Donald Trump has chosen JD Vance as his running mate, elevating to the Republican presidential ticket a venture capitalist-turned-senator whose embrace of populist politics has earned him national attention and made him a rising star in the party.

“After much deliberation and reflection, and considering the tremendous talents of many others, I have decided that the most suitable person to assume the office of Vice President of the United States is Senator J.D. Vance from the great state of Ohio,” Trump said, making the announcement Monday on his Truth Social platform as the Republican National Convention began in Milwaukee.

The announcement comes days following a gun attack on Trump upended an already chaotic presidential race. The Republican former president was hit in his right ear by a gunshot at a campaign rally Saturday in Butler, Pennsylvania. One aide was fatally shot and two others are in critical condition. The shooter was killed by the U.S. Secret Service.

The shooting at the rally was a stark reminder of the importance of the vice president, who would assume the Oval Office if the president were assassinated or unable to fulfill the duties of the office.

Who is JD Vance, Trump’s running mate?

JD Vance is 39, nearly four decades younger than the 78-year-old Trump, marking a potential generational shift for the party and offering a new voice to Republican efforts to bolster their appeal among blue-collar workers who were once a cornerstone of the Democratic Party in battlegrounds like Michigan, Wisconsin and President Joe Biden’s home state of Pennsylvania.